Champagne Time.
Monday, December 31, 2012
T-6:15
I think reporters probably have good reason to be annoyed that Congress is messing up their party plans.
Just go home already.
Just go home already.
What's It All About Then
I don't know what this dance routine either achieved or was supposed to achieve.
New Congress on Thursday.
New Congress on Thursday.
Merry Cliffmas
The House has signaled that it isn't going to play ball today, so absent any changes...Cliffmas will arrive.
What The Hell Is Going On
I know we all know this, but a final reminder that the people who demanded austerity are now fighting it, and that includes much of the press.
No wonder the people get a bit confused sometimes.
No wonder the people get a bit confused sometimes.
Dance Dance Fever
I have no idea if any of this is real or if all of the politicians are just dancing for the cameras. Seems like a pretty bad way to spend the holidays.
Go home, come back on Wednesday and bargain over how big the tax cuts should be.
Go home, come back on Wednesday and bargain over how big the tax cuts should be.
Savvy
All of this is a reminder that Congress cannot tie it own hands. Sure some legislation is a bit sticky given the veto points in our system, but it is mostly pointless to think about budgets 10 years out.
Endless Appetite
A few municipalities will resist, but I'm not optimistic that the free money for rich people who own sports teams era will ever end. For reasons I don't quite understand sports have a weird place in our culture. The public doesn't seem to get too upset about these deals. They might not always be popular, but they're more popular than losing the treasured sports team, though those leaving the city threats are often not credible.
Done right, baseball especially can deliver some benefits (which is not to say that those benefits justify massive public subsidies), but cities that throw cash at football stadiums are corrupt and/or stupid.
Done right, baseball especially can deliver some benefits (which is not to say that those benefits justify massive public subsidies), but cities that throw cash at football stadiums are corrupt and/or stupid.
Making Babies On Minimum Wage
I'm sure the fetus fetishists will be very upset that the wimmenz are not using their uteri as they are supposed to, but the "since the 1930s" should be a clue.
People have no damn jobs and no damn money, and therefore they aren't going to have any damn babies. How could they?
People have no damn jobs and no damn money, and therefore they aren't going to have any damn babies. How could they?
Morning Thread
Happy belated birthday to Avedon. Remarkable that she has been able to keep the Sideshow fresh all these years. Congrats!
Sunday, December 30, 2012
People Disagree About Stuff
Many people seem to believe that if all agreed on the basic facts of an issue, that this would lead us to agree on the implications. There's one right way forward, essentially, and we just need to figure out what it is. But people have legitimate disagreements about policy which have nothing to do with arguing over the facts.
You're Doing It Wrong
I know, or at least hope, that reading online newspaper comments is not the best window into the soul of humanity, but it certainly is a bit depressing sometimes. The lack of sympathy or empathy for basically anyone is quite stunning. Everything is always the fault of victims, basically.
My "favorite" genre these days are the people who are trashing the youngs, discussing how when they were 18 they worked their way through college without any help or debt so why aren't kids today doing that? First, I imagine most of these people got a lot more help than they care to remember. Second, college is a lot more expensive now. You cannot pay for it by working summers and having a part time job during the year. You can't do it my friends.
My "favorite" genre these days are the people who are trashing the youngs, discussing how when they were 18 they worked their way through college without any help or debt so why aren't kids today doing that? First, I imagine most of these people got a lot more help than they care to remember. Second, college is a lot more expensive now. You cannot pay for it by working summers and having a part time job during the year. You can't do it my friends.
This Doesn't Make Sense
Bernstein:
It's possible chained-CPI is a better measure of the "true" CPI. But that has nothing to do with a the hypothetical elderly CPI-E. If the true CPI-E increases faster than CPI, then chained-CPI is worse, not better.
My views on the chained-CPI—a benefit cut—are here. I support the change—it’s a more accurate measure of price growth (though a chained index for the elderly would be better), and I’m sure it’s coming, so I want to get something for it. That ‘something’ is an offset from the benefit cut for poor, old elderly. But I agree, and stress in the post, that there are reasons to be nervous about the change.
It's possible chained-CPI is a better measure of the "true" CPI. But that has nothing to do with a the hypothetical elderly CPI-E. If the true CPI-E increases faster than CPI, then chained-CPI is worse, not better.
Lecturing Other Countries
Yes rape is bad, but India does not have a monopoly on rape culture/rape acceptance and also, too, rape.
I don't know if half our population lives in fear of unspeakable violence, but I do know that half our population are regularly told they should. So.
India, a rising economic power and the world’s largest democracy, can never reach its full potential if half its population lives in fear of unspeakable violence.
I don't know if half our population lives in fear of unspeakable violence, but I do know that half our population are regularly told they should. So.
Sunday Bobbleheads
Dancing Dave's Meet the Press has Obummer.
Face the Nation has Durbin and Coburn.
This Week has Schumer and Kyl.
Document the atrocities!
Face the Nation has Durbin and Coburn.
This Week has Schumer and Kyl.
Document the atrocities!
Saturday, December 29, 2012
So It's Basically Blackmail Then.
Hilarious.
(via)
Stephenson stepped in, Armey says, because he "was concerned I was going to resign (from FreedomWorks) and sue them before the (presidential) election. He didn't want an uproar. We all understood if I take any action that made it at all public it would be a press nightmare and we didn't want that before the election…
"So Dick was saying, 'You know, Armey, my family and I have heard your story, about how you can't afford to retire and we want to help with your retirement,'" Armey said.
The former leader of the House Republicans said it was a deal he just couldn't refuse.
"I can't stay here (FreedomWorks), I can't work with people like this, and I can't afford to leave with empty pockets," Armey said.
(via)
Fluffy's Moment
Dancing Dave vs. Obama tomorrow.
Not sure there's enough booze in the house for that.
Not sure there's enough booze in the house for that.
How Things Got Around
Related to this, there's always been one little story which fascinated me. I won't say who it involves, though thankfully for him he's gone on to have a pretty successful career.
There was a local Philly newscaster way back in the 13th century when I was a teen. At some point a rumor went around that he had gone into the emergency room to have a gerbil removed from his rectum. When I say the rumor went around, I meant the rumor was universal everywhere simultaneously. I heard it from kids in multiple suburban school districts. Their parents were joking about it. Everybody seemed to know a friend of friend who worked in the hospital, blah blah blah. Even at the time my 15 year old brain was confused by the whole thing... Whatever the truth or not truth, just how did this rumor spread so fast?
I think eventually the local shock jocks etc. did pick it up, but shock jockery was less shocking than it can be now and I'm pretty sure they didn't lead on this "story." They followed. And, yes, it wasn't long before he moved on. But, again, he's done pretty well for himself so good for him.
The reason such a story had so much resonance can help explain a lot about the truly weird homophobia of the time (gay men are bestiality-inclined perverts who will stick anything up there), but that isn't my issue at the moment. The issue is that this little story spread like wildfire through contemporary suburbia essentially overnight, without the help of, as far as I could tell, mass media.
There was a local Philly newscaster way back in the 13th century when I was a teen. At some point a rumor went around that he had gone into the emergency room to have a gerbil removed from his rectum. When I say the rumor went around, I meant the rumor was universal everywhere simultaneously. I heard it from kids in multiple suburban school districts. Their parents were joking about it. Everybody seemed to know a friend of friend who worked in the hospital, blah blah blah. Even at the time my 15 year old brain was confused by the whole thing... Whatever the truth or not truth, just how did this rumor spread so fast?
I think eventually the local shock jocks etc. did pick it up, but shock jockery was less shocking than it can be now and I'm pretty sure they didn't lead on this "story." They followed. And, yes, it wasn't long before he moved on. But, again, he's done pretty well for himself so good for him.
The reason such a story had so much resonance can help explain a lot about the truly weird homophobia of the time (gay men are bestiality-inclined perverts who will stick anything up there), but that isn't my issue at the moment. The issue is that this little story spread like wildfire through contemporary suburbia essentially overnight, without the help of, as far as I could tell, mass media.
Friday, December 28, 2012
The Songs We Sang
I don't even know how this stuff spread before the internets, but I moved around a lot when I was young and kids everyhere sang this song.
And this:
I have no deep thought on this, just throwing it out there.
Mine eyes have seen the glory of the burning of the school
We have tortured all the teachers - we have broken all the rules
We ramrocked the offices and hung the principal
March on, third grade, march on!
Glory, glory, hallelujah
My teacher hit me with a ruler
I hid behind her door with a loaded .44
And the teacher don't teach no more!
And this:
On top of old smokey
all covered with blood
I shot my poor teacher
with a 44 slug
I went to her funeral
I went to her grave
everybody threw flowers
I threw a grenade
I shot her with pleasure,
I shot her with pride
I couldn't have missed her
she was forty feet wide
I have no deep thought on this, just throwing it out there.
Deal Or No Deal
Whatever actually comes out the other end, is mystery why from beginning they didn't just plan to vote on this after Jan 1. Then there's no tax increase - because taxes will have already increased - and Grover and the teabaggers won't be able to get so mad.
Modern Gadgetry
Internet sleuthing suggests that my motherboard killed itself, so new laptop it will be, eventually. I have an old one which works fairly well, except the screen hinges are busted so it has to be backstopped with a stack of books...
Light Some More Money On Fire
Atlantic City's decades long plan to gamble their way to prosperity hasn't worked. But, hey, as long as Big Finance is willing to keep lighting money on fire...
They're Only Dancing
There will be another meeting at 3 with Obama and congresscritters. It's hard to know what's really going on - what's just a display for public consumption and what's actually happening.
Still hoping we hit January 1st with nothing.
Still hoping we hit January 1st with nothing.
Thursday, December 27, 2012
There's Another No Work Option: Laid Off
Glaeser writes a lot of words dancing around the obvious issue:
It's an economist way to think about things, that someone being in the labor force means they're choosing the "work option." But in recession the options for some are no work and no money (otherwise known as "homelessness") or managing to qualify for disability (average monthly payment about $1100, max benefit about $2500). If you have some form of disability, you might be able to work if you have a job and employer that can accommodate you, but lose that job and you're probably going to be out of luck.
This isn't really mysterious stuff. Someone is 61, has a moderate disability, and loses his/her job. There is no work option.
I believe that recipients of the aid are typically in pain, but many have a choice between suffering at work and going on disability. In boom times, the work option may seem more attractive, but as labor options contract, a steady check from the federal government can seem the better choice. The recession surely explains much of the 24 percent increase in the number of people receiving Social Security disability insurance since 2007.
It's an economist way to think about things, that someone being in the labor force means they're choosing the "work option." But in recession the options for some are no work and no money (otherwise known as "homelessness") or managing to qualify for disability (average monthly payment about $1100, max benefit about $2500). If you have some form of disability, you might be able to work if you have a job and employer that can accommodate you, but lose that job and you're probably going to be out of luck.
This isn't really mysterious stuff. Someone is 61, has a moderate disability, and loses his/her job. There is no work option.
Secular
One weird thing is the inability of many to comprehend that, yes, a religious-based holiday can also be incredibly secular. Like most people in this country I grew up understanding that Christmas was about Santa and trees and decorations and presents. Sure lots of people also get a bit of Christ on top of that, but only for very few people is the Christ bit the point of the two month long Christmas season.
Crazy Talk
You're saying that when people don't have any money they don't spend it? That's nuts. It's obviously the confidence fairy or Mayans or something.
Austerity! Not Austerity!
I'm curious how your typical totebagger has handled the whiplash. Austerity was supposed to save us all except now that it is about to arrive it is going to cause a recession.
The fiscal cliff is the austerity bomb they've all been begging for. Except for the part about raising taxes on rich people. That part they do not like, so suddenly austerity bites.
The fiscal cliff is the austerity bomb they've all been begging for. Except for the part about raising taxes on rich people. That part they do not like, so suddenly austerity bites.
More Contoversial Than It Used To Be
The evolving subtleties of our messed up cultural sexual morality are hard to explain, but I think giving free condoms to teenagers is actually a more controversial policy position now than it was when I was a late teen. Back then sex was bad, but there wasn't this false naivete that the high school kids weren't doing it. Giving them the condoms, or, hell, letting them do it in the home, instead of the road, was pretty normal.
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
"Traditional Uses"
I've been to Peru, not Bolivia, but coca leaves and tea are everywhere there. It's traditional like drinking coffee in Italy is traditional. It's not some weird "native" rite, it's what "normal" people consume all the time. From personal experience it's a much more mild stimulant (at least at the doses in tea or in chewing the leaves) than caffeine. The US telling Peruvians and Bolivians to shut down coca cultivation is like the UN telling B. Barry Bamz to take out all the Starbucks.
Yes you can turn coca into cocaine, but if someone figured out how to turn coffee into meth tomorrow I doubt the Starbucks would disappear.
But despite the rift with the United States, Bolivia, the world’s third-largest cocaine producer, has advanced its own unorthodox approach toward controlling the growing of coca, which veers markedly from the wider war on drugs and includes high-tech monitoring of thousands of legal coca patches intended to produce coca leaf for traditional uses.
Yes you can turn coca into cocaine, but if someone figured out how to turn coffee into meth tomorrow I doubt the Starbucks would disappear.
Somebody Is Wrong On The Internet
Remember that time when Republicans controlled Congress and the presidency and they shrunk the government? Oh, wait, that didn't happen.
They don't care about smaller government. Or the deficit. They care about taxes for rich people. Sure they want to kick the olds and the poors, but unless they can steal Social Security there isn't all that much money there.
But for Republicans, agreeing to those tax increases means agreeing to a larger government than would be possible in the absence of those tax increases. That undermines their real goal: Not smaller deficits, but smaller government.
They don't care about smaller government. Or the deficit. They care about taxes for rich people. Sure they want to kick the olds and the poors, but unless they can steal Social Security there isn't all that much money there.
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
We Lost
Another fail in the War On Christmas.
I try to do my part every year with the Star Wars holiday special.
I try to do my part every year with the Star Wars holiday special.
Monday, December 24, 2012
But They Will Always Smash It On The Floor
DeLong:
But Republicans will inevitably see a balanced budget as an opportunity to give money to rich people (tax cuts and crony capitalism). The reward for liberals for this well done very important work? Tax cuts for rich people and unpaid for disastrous wars.
Liberals should spend their time in office figuring out how to implement a sticky liberal agenda, one which is hard to dislodge, not figuring out how to create a pot of money for Republicans to steal when it is their turn.
Remember the context: Mankiw loved the Bush-era fiscal policies to create long-run structural budget deficits, and worked hard to implement them--the unfunded war and unfunded tax cut and unfunded entitlement policies that did so much to create our structural deficit. Mankiw did his best to join in the process of taking the work that we in the Clinton administration had done in the 1990s to restore America's fiscal balance--work that was very well done, very important, and work that we were and are very proud of--and casually smashing it on the floor.
But Republicans will inevitably see a balanced budget as an opportunity to give money to rich people (tax cuts and crony capitalism). The reward for liberals for this well done very important work? Tax cuts for rich people and unpaid for disastrous wars.
Liberals should spend their time in office figuring out how to implement a sticky liberal agenda, one which is hard to dislodge, not figuring out how to create a pot of money for Republicans to steal when it is their turn.
Happy Hour
I protest the lack of a CHRISTMAS CAROL being shown on TV. I just don't know to whom to protest. Recommendations welcome.
Crapo
DUI is bad. People with access to cabs and willing staff who can drive them who get busted for it are extra bad. And as is always the case, people who put forth a public face of false "morality" that they are violating in private are also, too, bad.
I don't care that he's a Mormon who drinks, that's between him and his conscience and his church. I care a bit that he lied about it.
I don't care that he's a Mormon who drinks, that's between him and his conscience and his church. I care a bit that he lied about it.
CoT: NRA!
Translation. And exegesis.
Merry Christmas. Or whatever rituals you Commies do when the sun goes away.
Merry Christmas. Or whatever rituals you Commies do when the sun goes away.
Merry Christmas
This is the douchiest thing ever. "I bravely confront the internet for the 4,556th time after I got laughed off it, and my first subhed features a snide lie from the previous decade."
Sunday, December 23, 2012
Anyone Know How To Run A Campaign?
I guess we'll never really know whether they were the stupidest fucking people on the face of the planet or if they've decided that "we're stupid and incompetent" is better than "we were just lying to our big donors in the final couple of months to skim some more cash out of them." Obviously they were stupid and incompetent - at running a campaign, not at grifting - but they want you to believe they were stupid, incompetent, and completely delusional.
And in 2016 all of the candidates will be lining up to hire them again, because that's how the GOP works.
And in 2016 all of the candidates will be lining up to hire them again, because that's how the GOP works.
It Never Occurred To Me That They'd Pay People To Actually Do Stuff
Don't they know it was all just a big grift?
I have no opinion on whether an aggressive ground game actually works. I hope it does. It's a more optimistic view of politics if it does. But either way, it's clear the grifters on the Romney campaign were in it for the grift. They had enough money to do whatever they wanted, and they chose to... pay themselves.
Rich Beeson, the Romney political director who coauthored the now-discredited Ohio memo, said that only after the election did he realize what Obama was doing with so much manpower on the ground. Obama had more than 3,000 paid workers nationwide, compared with 500 for Romney, and hundreds of thousands of volunteers.
“Now I know what they were doing with all the staffs and offices,” Beeson said. “They were literally creating a one-to-one contact with voters,” something that Romney did not have the staff to match.
I have no opinion on whether an aggressive ground game actually works. I hope it does. It's a more optimistic view of politics if it does. But either way, it's clear the grifters on the Romney campaign were in it for the grift. They had enough money to do whatever they wanted, and they chose to... pay themselves.
Sunday Bobbleheads
Mostly a bunch of horrible corrupt people telling you stupid self-serving things.
It's always atrocious.
It's always atrocious.
Saturday, December 22, 2012
Smarter Than Expected
It's been awhile, but over the years have met quite a few Dem members of Congress. Without exception they've all been pretty smart. Smart doesn't mean good and they are all tainted by swimming in the river of Washington CW, but they weren't dummies.
Nerdrage
I admit I've been surprised at how angry some people have gotten at the suggestion by some (Glennzilla and others) that the movie Zero Dark Thirty wrongly portrays torture as key in obtaining necessary information to get Bin Laden.
It's like the new Mac vs. PC.
It's like the new Mac vs. PC.
Friday, December 21, 2012
Gun Nuttery
One thing that has surprised me over the years is that gun nuttery politics has actually trumped disgusting racial politics. As in, I'm surprised that gun nuts haven't been happy to ban guns in places where the blahs might own them.
Reporting For Duty
The people who are attracted to the idea of volunteering to stand around all day with a gun at your third grader's school probably shouldn't be doing it.
It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year
I'll keep this place running, but expect a holiday schedule through the new year. Need a little bit of a mental health break.
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Thursday Night Crass Commercialism
Increasingly teevees have various kinds of internet capabilities, but especially if yours doesn't, the Roku is a very useful device to have. Can stream Netflix, Amazon, etc.
Random Interesting To Me Food Thing
It had not occurred to me that pho bò kho is "essentially boeuf bourguignon with a Southeast Asian twist."
Not personally a fan, but still find it interesting.
Not personally a fan, but still find it interesting.
Hack'd
At least for liberals, doing this kind of media criticism is essentially creating a list of "publications and outlets that will never hire Alex Pareene ever."
Apparently Liberal Policies Are Awesome
I went here and clicked on all the most liberal shit, and we get to budget surplus in 2016 and close to 4% growth in 2013, over 4% in 2014, and 5% in 2015.
Things I did: double make work pay, American Jobs Act, income tax rebate, public option, increase payroll tax cap, increased the gas tax, carbon pricing, and extending the payroll tax cut/unemployment benefits.
Things I did: double make work pay, American Jobs Act, income tax rebate, public option, increase payroll tax cap, increased the gas tax, carbon pricing, and extending the payroll tax cut/unemployment benefits.
What's Boehner Thinking
The way these things are supposed to work is that Republicans do "something" and then there's a huge media drumbeat about the need for Democrats to do something which is pretty much what the Republicans did because bipartisan.
I'm not entirely sure why it's not going to work that way (though it still could of course!). It might simply be because the media narrative on this issue is completely self-contradictory nonsense. After telling us for years that what we need is Austerity Now, austerity is somehow a bad thing, except it's also good because unicorns.
I'm not entirely sure why it's not going to work that way (though it still could of course!). It might simply be because the media narrative on this issue is completely self-contradictory nonsense. After telling us for years that what we need is Austerity Now, austerity is somehow a bad thing, except it's also good because unicorns.
Consequences
We have two things going on here. One is the understood rule that Democrats must be civil and nice and never commit the sin of accurately describing the views of Republicans. Second is the entrenched pundit utterly unconcerned with actual policy or judicial outcomes because, you know, they won't actually impact him.
Just Like Hitler
Most Villagers are pretty anti-democracy. Every four years they go out and talk to a few of the great unwashed and discover they aren't actually up on all of the latest DC gossip, decide that voters are ignorant, and dream of technocracy run by GOP Daddies.
But few express contempt for people having a say in how their government works as clearly as George Will does.
But few express contempt for people having a say in how their government works as clearly as George Will does.
Simple Solutions To Simple Violations Of The Law
Restaurant engages in illegal practices in order to pay all of its workers $2.13/hr. and we're supposed to praise them?
I Want To Share
I haven't always been perfect about this kind of thing, but I do think that in our brave new economy we should all find revenue earning ways to promote stuff we like.
You might hate the crappy videos I post, but I like them. I hope I occasionally directly or indirectly help them earn a few dimes.
You might hate the crappy videos I post, but I like them. I hope I occasionally directly or indirectly help them earn a few dimes.
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Wednesday Evening Crass Commercialism
How about a new teevee? David Gregory will look purty on it.
For somewhat obvious disclosure, I link to amazon stuff because I get a commission. Their commission program is pretty generous. If you click on that link (I believe) it puts a cookie on your machine so that in some time frame (not sure how long) anything you happen to purchase from amazon (and some of you purchase very interesting things!)* gets credited to me. It's a way for me to support this little blog of mine by taking money from Amazon, which doesn't seem like such a bad thing. And it's Xmas time, so people are buying a reasonable amount of stuff.
*Don't worry, I know what people buy but I have no idea who is buying things. You have privacy.
For somewhat obvious disclosure, I link to amazon stuff because I get a commission. Their commission program is pretty generous. If you click on that link (I believe) it puts a cookie on your machine so that in some time frame (not sure how long) anything you happen to purchase from amazon (and some of you purchase very interesting things!)* gets credited to me. It's a way for me to support this little blog of mine by taking money from Amazon, which doesn't seem like such a bad thing. And it's Xmas time, so people are buying a reasonable amount of stuff.
*Don't worry, I know what people buy but I have no idea who is buying things. You have privacy.
There's Still Something About The Landline
I kept my landline longer than many, mostly because I used to do radio regularly and cell phones generally aren't awesome for that. But I've been without for over a year. With cell phones they're mostly unnecessary and redundant, but cell phones aren't perfect substitutes. There's something - even something slightly strange in retrospect - about the loud phones jangling throughout the house every time someone calls. There's something about calling a house, rather than a person. It feels a bit weird calling friends who are cohabitating and not being quite sure who to call, as if choosing one over the other is expressing a preference.
Not being a get off my lawn guy here, just observing that ending the landline is actually a change to social norms that had existed for quite some time.
Not being a get off my lawn guy here, just observing that ending the landline is actually a change to social norms that had existed for quite some time.
I'll Say What I Always Say
While I'm slightly sympathetic to first time offenders who are flirting with the legal limit, extremely rich dudes should hire a goddamn driver.
Veteran news anchor Sam Donaldson was arrested for DUI earlier this month, according to police.
What's It All About
While most Villagers have pretended to not notice, Fix The Debt is the most transparent of the deficit fraudsters to ever appear. They make it completely clear that their concerns have nothing to do with the deficit or the debt, and everything to do with stealing money from the olds and the poors to give it to rich people, defense, and finance.
About Those Dead Kids
Obama's giving a gun control presser and the first question is by an AP reporter who asks about... the "fiscal cliff."
Zombies Need Brains
It is worth remembering that the only thing the online "right" cares about is getting people fired, or else getting people killed.
Erik Loomis is quite right to speak of the NRA with harsh contempt. As Rob says, the current Two Minute Hate against him is all about trying to distract from the lunatic gun fetishism that is getting kids killed.
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Saint Petraeus
Holy crap.
Frederick and Kimberly Kagan, a husband-and-wife team of hawkish military analysts, put their jobs at influential Washington think tanks on hold for almost a year to work for Gen. David H. Petraeus when he was the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan. Provided desks, e-mail accounts and top-level security clearances in Kabul, they pored through classified intelligence reports, participated in senior-level strategy sessions and probed the assessments of field officers in order to advise Petraeus about how to fight the war differently.
Their compensation from the U.S. government for their efforts, which often involved 18-hour workdays, seven days a week and dangerous battlefield visits?
Zero dollars.
Violating The Pledge
If we switch over to the chained-CPI, it isn't just about Social Security cuts. It'll impact other federally set things, including tax brackets, meaning it will be a tax increase on those earning less than $250,000 per year.
Like Matt I don't really care about that, but it has been one of the few guiding principles of the administration, so...
Like Matt I don't really care about that, but it has been one of the few guiding principles of the administration, so...
Mysteries
No I don't know why the debt ceiling and Social Security benefits are now and forever on the table as bargaining chips.
Monday, December 17, 2012
PSA
I'm not one who is super paranoid (and I don't mean that as a pejorative) about internet privacy stuff, but Instagram saying that can steal and sell your private photos is a bit much.
So do this.
So do this.
Bringing It Old School
Time for this little blog to do a bit of activism like the old days. Get your dialing fingers ready for tomorrow. White House, Reid's office, your senators, and your member of Congress. No cuts to Social Security.
There will be a list, we will be checking it twice, and it will be called The Social Security Shit List.
There will be a list, we will be checking it twice, and it will be called The Social Security Shit List.
And Just What Are We Supposed To Do About The "Entertainment Moguls"?
I get a bit twitchy when people who make their living using the first amendment to advocate for more wars and no gun laws (as Scarborough did for a long time) suddenly decide that we need to crack down (how, exactly?) on OTHER PEOPLE who might create films with fake violence in them.
Joe supported a lot of real violence over the years. I imagine that probably had a bigger impact than the fake violence. And besides, I'm sure he's quite fine with movie violence as long as it's of the jingoistic kind. You know, the kind that glorifies the real violence he's supported.
Joe supported a lot of real violence over the years. I imagine that probably had a bigger impact than the fake violence. And besides, I'm sure he's quite fine with movie violence as long as it's of the jingoistic kind. You know, the kind that glorifies the real violence he's supported.
War
I do wish more people who manage to fully comprehend the broad trauma a mass shooting can have on our country would consider the consequences of a decade of war.
Hero Fantasies
What pisses me off most about all of the vigilante-hero fantasizing gun nuts is that their limited view of heroism involves... killing a bad guy. If you want to be a hero, there are plenty of ways to step up and be one every day. Unless your fantasy isn't about heroism at all, just killing.
And The Last Half Million Gun Deaths?
Yes I'm all for people changing their minds, and I do get how it takes the slap upside the head of a major event to encourage that sometimes, but the blindness of people to the absolutely immense amount of gun deaths that happen every day in this country is incredible.
Their Agenda
If their agenda was cutting the deficit, they'd love the fiscal cliff. Obviously their agenda is something else.
Sunday, December 16, 2012
Guns Kill People
About 80% of the murder victims in Philadelphia in 2011 were shooting victims. I would guess that absent guns, very few of those people would have been murdered.
Guns Kill People
A couple of years after I left college, there was a deadly incident in my fraternity house (yes I was in a fraternity, yes it was a mostly good experience for me personally, yes Greek systems are probably generally bad). I didn't really know either of the people involved. Basically drunk guy comes home. Expects to find leftover sandwich in fridge. Sandwich not there. Pissed off, he pulls out a gun (guns and drunk frat boys are an excellent combination) and fires it at a target on the wall. Bullet goes through wall into bathroom, through next wall into next bedroom, into abdomen of guy in next room. Upon realizing he'd hit someone, the shooter promptly aimed gun at himself and committed suicide. Guy he shot ended up being ok (after major medical attention, of course).
Nobody would have been hurt or dead if not for the presence of a gun.
Nobody would have been hurt or dead if not for the presence of a gun.
Meta At The Speed Of Light
There's a degree of awareness about how all of these conversations play out, how everybody plays their appointed role. We all know how the "national conversation" on guns will happen, with liberals saying there are too many guns, and conservatives yelling that we're politicizing it and also, too, arm the kindergarten teachers and the problems will be solved.
And then nothing will happen, and sadly we'll do it all again.
And then nothing will happen, and sadly we'll do it all again.
Obviously
We need to ban fake guns and video games with guns, and put v-chips in all the TVs that already have v-chips.
Sunday Bobbleheads
Face The Nation has Kay The Bailey Hutchison and Chuck The Schumer.
Meet the Press has The Bloomberg and The Weingarten.
This Week has some stuff, not sure what.
Document the atrocities!
Meet the Press has The Bloomberg and The Weingarten.
This Week has some stuff, not sure what.
Document the atrocities!
Morning Thread
Here's a link to the White House Petition to introduce gun control legislation. While signing the petition may not do any good, we have to start somewhere.
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Safety
Fallows in the Atlantic.
I will henceforth and only talk about "gun safety" as a goal for America, as opposed to "gun control." I have no abstract interest in "controlling" someone else's ability to own a gun. I have a very powerful, direct, and legitimate interest in the consequences of others' gun ownership -- namely that we change America's outlier status as site of most of the world's mass shootings.
Oh Jeebus
He said the same thing in a post yesterday which I managed to ignore, but...
A drunk William Burroughs killed his wife while playing a game of "William Tell."
(ht tbogg)
"After a shooting spree," author William Burroughs once said, "they always want to take the guns away from the people who didn't do it." Burroughs continued: "I sure as hell wouldn't want to live in a society where the only people allowed guns are the police and the military."
A drunk William Burroughs killed his wife while playing a game of "William Tell."
(ht tbogg)
Vigilante Fantasies
The thing about gun nuts is that every single one I've known had a vigilante fantasy. Basically they all wanted the "opportunity" to kill a black person.
I don't mean all people who own guns. I mean gun nuts. The type who obsess about them, and are always packing.
It doesn't sound like this murderer was a gun nut (though we really don't know at this point), but all the people who think the solution is to arm every toddler are.
I don't mean all people who own guns. I mean gun nuts. The type who obsess about them, and are always packing.
It doesn't sound like this murderer was a gun nut (though we really don't know at this point), but all the people who think the solution is to arm every toddler are.
Broken
Our discourse, that is. Fortunately, we have DDay trying to repair it.
People.
Just to pick at random, here are a couple headlines at the Hartford Courant site just from the past 24 hours: Woman Shot, Man Dead After Standoff In Rocky Hill. Armed Robbery At Hartford Bank, Two In Custody. It’s not that school shootings like this are abnormal. They are depressingly normal. The fact that there were no shootings in one day in New York City recently was seen as a major achievement, which shows you how desensitized we have become to gun violence as a normal occurrence of daily life.Just a reminder. The NRA is an industry lobby for the gun industry. The industry that makes consumer products largely designed to kill people. Not deer. Not rabbits.
People.
Friday, December 14, 2012
Off the Table
WDS.
You want to know what taking something off the table looks like? It looks like a congresswoman being shot in the head by a lunatic and her political party celebrating when she recovers enough to lead the pledge of allegiance at their convention --- but never even mentioning gun control. That's what taking an issue off the table looks like.
Via Digby today.
Can't Even Call Happy Hour
Regrettably, I fall into the camp that says nothing will change. Hope I'm wrong!
Geeks
Now that stereotypical (from my day) geek stuff is cool (video games, comic book superheroes, Lord of the Rings, etc.) it's a lot easier to see that there are geeks everywhere. Sports fans are tremendous geeks, as are gun nuts. But while healthy obsessions can indeed be healthy, it's hard to see how a long term obsession with a killing machine can be all that healthy.
I Said I'd Take Them All Away
I think some people didn't get my point here: I will happily support any gun restriction you can come up with, I'm just not sure what restrictions that would get held up by the current Supremos would have much of an impact.
As for the argument that cars kill people so neener neener, long time readers know I'd take all of those away, too.
As for the argument that cars kill people so neener neener, long time readers know I'd take all of those away, too.
Shorter Bobby Jindal
Let's change our position on birth control because Democrats are cheating by accurately describing our position on birth control.
Obviously Jindal does not understand what motivates the anti-unapproved of sex nuts in his party.
Obviously Jindal does not understand what motivates the anti-unapproved of sex nuts in his party.
Guns
When I am your benevolent dictator I will actually take all of your guns away, but until that day comes I really don't know what can be done given our current understanding of the constitution. There are a lot of guns out there, they're easy to obtain, and I'm not really sure what could change that.
We do need more and better access to mental health services in this country.
We do need more and better access to mental health services in this country.
Always Grifting
The amounts are absurd, but so is the "boys on the bus" model of campaign coverage. It's hideously expensive and pointless.
The Stupid Wimmenz
Free market worshipping state school employed glibertarians should consider that popular women's magazines are giving their audience what they want.
But that would require acknowledging that the women are something other than passive vessels.
But that would require acknowledging that the women are something other than passive vessels.
Thursday, December 13, 2012
The Greatest Deliberative Body In The World
I obviously don't have any sympathy for Joe Lieberman, but the reports that he gave his farewell speech to basically no one makes me think: god senators are selfish assholes. Comity!
It Ain't Over 'Til It's Over
Yeah, I didn't actually think anything was really off the table, just that the signs were getting better.
I just can't imagine telling 62 year olds.... psych! No Medicare for another 5 years!
Horrible.
I just can't imagine telling 62 year olds.... psych! No Medicare for another 5 years!
Horrible.
Oh Kevin
Affectionately, I think you've hit unintentional self-parody here...
That's why I'm willing to make a deal even though I probably don't really have to.
That's Something
The worst idea ever probably won't be implemented.
As Digby said the other day, it's our job to freak out when these kinds of things are floated. And when we do, there are always sensible sober people who inform us that there's no way it could happen, or it would be okay if it did because it would be traded for something worthwhile, or it's just a shiny object to distract us from some other horrible thing, or...
And any of these things could true. But when the idea of increasing the Medicare eligibility age is floated, it's up to the rabid lambs of blogofascism to freak out about it. Because it really is the worst idea ever.
As Digby said the other day, it's our job to freak out when these kinds of things are floated. And when we do, there are always sensible sober people who inform us that there's no way it could happen, or it would be okay if it did because it would be traded for something worthwhile, or it's just a shiny object to distract us from some other horrible thing, or...
And any of these things could true. But when the idea of increasing the Medicare eligibility age is floated, it's up to the rabid lambs of blogofascism to freak out about it. Because it really is the worst idea ever.
Not A Puzzle
The kinds of "loopholes and deductions" that anyone ever contemplates getting rid of would only have a relatively small impact on the tax bill of a rich person. Those things generally benefit people who earn good money but who aren't the 1%. Truly rich people don't care much about the mortgage interest deduction or that employer health benefits aren't taxed, and there's no chance Mittens would have supported ending the tax avoidance strategies for rich people that he devoted his life to.
The only way to soak the rich is to increase the top marginal rate.
The only way to soak the rich is to increase the top marginal rate.
Not Just The Fed
All of the Very Serious People have been constantly predicting that the light at the end of the tunnel was just around the corner for years.
If in late 2008 I would have predicted that unemployment wouldn't drop to 6.5% until 2015 people would have thought I was crazy, in large part because they would have thought the policy response would fix it. Of course those same people got the policy response wrong, so here we are.
If in late 2008 I would have predicted that unemployment wouldn't drop to 6.5% until 2015 people would have thought I was crazy, in large part because they would have thought the policy response would fix it. Of course those same people got the policy response wrong, so here we are.
Nothing To Do With The Deficit
Yes I repeat myself. Endlessly. But this is all about enacting an elite consenus policy which involves kicking the poors and olds, funneling ever more money to Defense and Finance, and cuttings taxes on rich people.
The situation changes, the desired policies never do.
The situation changes, the desired policies never do.
Everybody Agrees
Obama needs to give the Republicans the cuts they want, even though they refuse to specify what those cuts are.
So Many Mobs
I don't have a very educated thought about this, but it's worth contemplating how white dudes killing each other are characterized as "mob hits" while similar non-white people killing each other tends to be characterized as "gang activity."
It's all the same thing, really. Not sure why we need different words for it. Perhaps there are reasons.
It's all the same thing, really. Not sure why we need different words for it. Perhaps there are reasons.
Power
Another day, another example of obviously good public policy blocked by government-enforced "private-sector" monopolies. This week's edition, solar power.
First, the investor-owned utilities that depend on the existing system for their profits have little economic interest in promoting a technology that empowers customers to generate their own power. Second, state regulatory agencies and local governments impose burdensome permitting and siting requirements that unnecessarily raise installation costs. Today, navigating the regulatory red tape constitutes 25 percent to 30 percent of the total cost of solar installation in the United States, according to data from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and, as such, represents a higher percentage of the overall cost than the solar equipment itself.In Germany, where sensible federal rules have fast-tracked and streamlined the permit process, the costs are considerably lower. It can take as little as eight days to license and install a solar system on a house in Germany. In the United States, depending on your state, the average ranges from 120 to 180 days. More than one million Germans have installed solar panels on their roofs, enough to provide close to 50 percent of the nation’s power, even though Germany averages the same amount of sunlight as Alaska. Australia also has a streamlined permitting process and has solar panels on 10 percent of its homes. Solar photovoltaic power would give America the potential to challenge the utility monopolies, democratize energy generation and transform millions of homes and small businesses into energy generators. Rational, market-based rules could turn every American into an energy entrepreneur.
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Nice Things
Our government wastes immense amounts of money on expensive, horrible, and pointless things (see large chunks of the defense budget). Occasionally it spends money on nice things (SUPERTRAINS or whatever your favorite is). Sometimes Sensible Liberals rightly point out that the nice thing probably costs more than it should, and besides there's this other nice thing which would be way better and also cheaper. But that trade is never on offer. If there's a nice thing about to built, it's generally at the end of a years-long process. You can't just step in and say, "Hey! Let's buy this instead."
An example of this is HSR in California. If I had a hundred billion bucks to spend on my California train set, that's probably not how I'd spend it. I'd primarily spend it on improving mass transit within California's larger cities instead of inter-city rail. But that's not the choice. It's HSR or nothing. Might as well take it.
An example of this is HSR in California. If I had a hundred billion bucks to spend on my California train set, that's probably not how I'd spend it. I'd primarily spend it on improving mass transit within California's larger cities instead of inter-city rail. But that's not the choice. It's HSR or nothing. Might as well take it.
He Probably Believes It
There are plenty of liars in this game, but Steny Hoyer probably does believe that anti-stimulus is stimulus.
The Internet Is A Lot Smarter Than It Used To Be
It's easy to forget, as it slowly evolves, but 6000 blog years ago when I began blogging, it wasn't actually a given that you could search for the answer to something and have a good chance of finding a reasonable accurate answer. Google news didn't exist. Wikipedia was new and far from comprehensive. Google maps was much less useful.
For example, I wanted to know what senators would be up for election in 2014. Was correctly confident I would be able to find out.
For example, I wanted to know what senators would be up for election in 2014. Was correctly confident I would be able to find out.
Is It Jan. 1 Yet?
I just can't see the downsides of having the Bush tax cuts expire, as the entire conversation then becomes disconnected from that baseline. Obama the Benevolent can then propose a bunch of tax cuts for poor and middle class people which have nothing to do with the Bush rates.
It'd be liberating.
It'd be liberating.
A Slightly Less Sociopathic Fed
In the latest statement they've said that they'll tolerate inflation going up to TWO AND A HALF PERCENT before putting on the breaks. This is an improvement over their 2% is both our target and our ceiling policy which they've effectively been operating under for years.
The Weirdest Tic
For white dudes of a certain generation, their desperate desire to use any excuse to express the N-word is truly weird. It's like the PC police came and took away their favorite bicycle. They want it back.
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Impossible To Shame
Pointing out that the plutocracy fluffers are, in fact, nothing more than plutocracy fluffers will not shame them, because they're laughing all the way to the bank.
Things That Aren't Explained
There is a large deficit reduction plan which is current law.
Villagers who spend all of their time hating deficits hate the deficit reduction plan.
A few hate it for the right reason, that contractionary policy is contractionary, though you can't get them to admit that expansionary policy is expansionary.
Most hate it simply because it raises taxes on rich people, cuts the Defense gravy train that their friends dine out on, and doesn't punish the poors and the olds quite enough.
Villagers who spend all of their time hating deficits hate the deficit reduction plan.
A few hate it for the right reason, that contractionary policy is contractionary, though you can't get them to admit that expansionary policy is expansionary.
Most hate it simply because it raises taxes on rich people, cuts the Defense gravy train that their friends dine out on, and doesn't punish the poors and the olds quite enough.
No One Left To Hate
The problem for Republicans is that the 27 percenters have a rage addiction. They need someone to hate, someone to rage at, and the list now includes minorities, immigrants, the poors, and women (foreigners too, but they don't vote here). That's a big chunk of the population.
If they'd just kept it at...hating the undefined population known as liberals...they'd probably be ok.
If they'd just kept it at...hating the undefined population known as liberals...they'd probably be ok.
They've Never Cared About The Deficit
Deficit hawks generally oppose deficit reduction plans (see "fiscal cliff").
They want lower tax for rich people and, to a lesser extent, gutting of the safety net, though mostly because the latter makes the former easier.
That's it. The Big Conversation in Washington my entire adult life is a total con job, and all the Very Serious People fall for it, or pretend to.
“The Clinton plan doesn’t come close to balancing the budget, even in the near term,” wrote Peterson. “Inevitably, Clinton’s deficit path will mean a much larger public debt.”
They want lower tax for rich people and, to a lesser extent, gutting of the safety net, though mostly because the latter makes the former easier.
That's it. The Big Conversation in Washington my entire adult life is a total con job, and all the Very Serious People fall for it, or pretend to.
Free To Be Kristof
Anyone actually caring about the plight of people in poverty, as Kristof claims to, would be asking one simple question: how the fuck do these people manage to get by on so little money?
We are ruled by the worst people in the world.
We are ruled by the worst people in the world.
Justly Married
It's late and I should be in bed, but for some reason I am not. These pictures remind me of the moment when Gavin Newsom, briefly, empowered himself to bless same sex marriage ceremonies way back in 2004. It was a beautiful moment. I'm pretty sure I sent some flowers to those in line when it happened.
It was a radical act. Perhaps a radical act in service of a non-radical institution, but nonetheless. And not so many years later everybody knows that it's all inevitable, just a matter of precisely how and when.
It was a radical act. Perhaps a radical act in service of a non-radical institution, but nonetheless. And not so many years later everybody knows that it's all inevitable, just a matter of precisely how and when.
Monday, December 10, 2012
The Worst Person In The World
Pierce has more on The Great White Benevolent Father.
The piece I was basically unable to process when I read it this morning was this.
The poors are refusing to assume their God-given place as cannon fodder for our empire.
I think Kristof is the first simultaneous Worst Person/Wanker award winner.
The piece I was basically unable to process when I read it this morning was this.
Our poverty programs do rescue many people, but other times they backfire. Some young people here don't join the military (a traditional escape route for poor, rural Americans) because it's easier to rely on food stamps and disability payments.
The poors are refusing to assume their God-given place as cannon fodder for our empire.
I think Kristof is the first simultaneous Worst Person/Wanker award winner.
Park-n-Ride Hell
I'm all for more trains everywhere, but instead we should really be encouraging (and by encouraging, I mostly mean allowing) infill development around stations instead of spending immense amounts of money on parking. Philly has a very extensive commuter rail system, and plenty of the stations are in places which are almost-sorta-kinda-walkable, but the big parking lots around the stations don't help that. Zone for multi-story, multi-family mixed use around the stations. That's the way to get more riders.
Parking constraints at many stations are real, but the solution isn't more parking. It's more people being able to walk.
On Thursday, the SEPTA board approved spending up to $282,788 for 4.86 acres owned by real-estate developer Wolfson Verrichia Group Inc., of Plymouth Meeting. The deal is still in negotiation, and the board on Thursday authorized SEPTA officials to acquire the property rights by condemnation if the developer declines to sell.
"We've had numerous discussions, and it's our intention to amicably acquire it," said SEPTA real estate director Gerald M. Maier.
About 3.5 acres would be used to build a 600-space parking garage, and 1.3 acres would be used for an access road to connect with U.S. 1, Maier said.
Parking constraints at many stations are real, but the solution isn't more parking. It's more people being able to walk.
Completely Predictable Consequences
Heckuva job.
I think most men really have no clue how many women really really rely on Planned Parenthoood.
When state lawmakers passed a two-year budget in 2011 that moved $73 million from family planning services to other programs, the goal was largely political: halt the flow of taxpayer dollars to Planned Parenthood clinics.
Now they are facing the policy implications — and, in some cases, reconsidering.
The latest Health and Human Services Commission projections being circulated among Texas lawmakers indicate that during the 2014-15 biennium, poor women will deliver an estimated 23,760 more babies than they would have, as a result of their reduced access to state-subsidized birth control. The additional cost to taxpayers is expected to be as much as $273 million — $103 million to $108 million to the state’s general revenue budget alone — and the bulk of it is the cost of caring for those infants under Medicaid.
I think most men really have no clue how many women really really rely on Planned Parenthoood.
Good Luck With That
I'm glad the two local papers are finally going to have distinct online brands/identities, but I really doubt that the paywall model will be a success for them. Happy to be wrong!
I think the desire of most publications to charge online readers stems more from need to be validated that their product is "worth something" than a rational business model. Of course their product really was always eyeballs, not content, but they never like seeing it that way.
I think the desire of most publications to charge online readers stems more from need to be validated that their product is "worth something" than a rational business model. Of course their product really was always eyeballs, not content, but they never like seeing it that way.
Torture Rocks
I really do wonder what motivates this. Is it the desire to see the US as the uber-Daddy, doing The Tough Things That Need To Be Done? Is it a desire to whitewash our crimes by pretending they're necessary?
Torture. It's extra awesome.
Torture. It's extra awesome.
What We Really Need More Of
Are people who aren't really liberal but who think they are mansplaining Hard Truths to the silly little children who are actual liberals.
Sunday, December 09, 2012
I No Stoopid
I get it. I know the reason we all care about the "fiscal cliff" isn't because of Keynesian concerns that it will destroy the economy, it's because tax rates for rich people are going up.
And that's all anyone cares about. Anyone with a big microphone, anyway.
And that's all anyone cares about. Anyone with a big microphone, anyway.
Dear Penthouse Forum
A couple of guys earning in excess of a million dollars per year were desperate to get that sweet sweet $2200 per year month (max) Social Security was going to give them.
Sunday Bobbleheads
Face the Nation has Snoopy Snoopy Poop Dogg and the Enema Man. Also too, the liberal Michael Gerson, the liberal Joe Klein, the liberal Norah O'Donnell, and the liberal Major Garrett.
Dancing Dave's Meet the Press has Durbin, Kevin McCarthy, Newt!, Julianna Goldman, Booby Woodward, and Lawrence O'Donnell.
This Week has Coburn, Stabenow, Hensarling, Grijalva, George Will, CarvilleMatalin, Matthew Dowd, and Krgthulu.
Document the atrocities!
Dancing Dave's Meet the Press has Durbin, Kevin McCarthy, Newt!, Julianna Goldman, Booby Woodward, and Lawrence O'Donnell.
This Week has Coburn, Stabenow, Hensarling, Grijalva, George Will, CarvilleMatalin, Matthew Dowd, and Krgthulu.
Document the atrocities!
Saturday, December 08, 2012
Nobody Has To Own It
The real reason for bipartisan deals is so Congress can pass horrible things that the public hates and it isn't clear who you can blame. Throw in a bunch of retiring members of Congress in a lame duck session, and you have a recipe for accountability-free democracy. Otherwise known as not democracy.
Oy
I'll say what I always say when these avertable tragedies happen. We have a society structured around both drinking as a social activity and driving as a means of transportation. These things are not very compatible. But if you're a rich guy, hire a damn driver.
3:51PM EST December 8. 2012 - Dallas Cowboys nose tackle Josh Brent was arrested on charges of intoxication manslaughter after flipping his car in Irving, Texas Saturday morning in an accident that killed Cowboys practice-squad player Jerry Brown, according to Irving police.
Good Luck With That
I'm certainly all for greater variety in the rental market, but as I've said before (I think I've said everything before) I really don't think the big money boys are going to be able to master large scale single family home rental management.
Dealing
The older people get the more likely it is they'll have some slipping faculties. Programs to help them need to be easy to navigate, without tragic consequences for, say, a couple missed insurance payments.
Jeebus It's Not High School
No it's not personalities and grudges and Jon Chait gave me a wedgie once so now I'm gonna be mean to the poor defenseless guy.
It's that people have hard fucking lives and raising the Medicare eligibility age will cost money, not save money, and also kill people.
So, no, not calm.
It's that people have hard fucking lives and raising the Medicare eligibility age will cost money, not save money, and also kill people.
So, no, not calm.
Nerdrage
Often the left political internet seems to go something like this:
Firebagger: Obama's going to do something bad!
Obot: No he's not, but it would be ok if he did anyway but please stop saying he's going to because he's not shutupshutupshutupshutup
Firebagger: Obama's going to do something bad!
Obot: No he's not, but it would be ok if he did anyway but please stop saying he's going to because he's not shutupshutupshutupshutup
Insanity
I guess it's just corruption.
But insanely bad public policy shouldn't be "on the table." Dancin' Dave shouldn't be expressing joy at the counterproductive imposition of pain.
We just had a fricking election. We won. Let's keep the social insurance infrastructure. It's working really well. So well that Republicans won't actually oppose it.
We just had a fricking election. We won. Let's keep the social insurance infrastructure. It's working really well. So well that Republicans won't actually oppose it.
I lose money every Thanksgiving at the family Texas Hold'Em table. But even I can see a winning hand here. Why doesn't our president?
I guess it's just corruption.
Friday, December 07, 2012
We've Come A Long Way
I'll leave it to the fancy law talking types to speculate about what the Supremos will do with Prop 8 and DOMA, but it's worth remembering that same sex marriage was a nonissue in this election (there could have been some targeted stuff, but nothing that was part of the main campaign).
Coming At Ya From Many Serious People
Not that I support that either, obviously, but this is worse than raising the Social Security eligibility age. Insane on the politics, insane on the policy.
Should Barack Obama's Life Been Destroyed By A Drug Bust
Obama did drugs as a young guy, and not just pot. Fortunately for him, he managed to avoid arrest and imprisonment. I have no idea why any sensible person thinks the enforcement of federal marijuana laws against the will of certain states deserves one cent or one minute of time.
We're All Keynesians Now
All the "fiscal cliff" nonsense is just acknowledging that contractionary policy is contractionary. That all the serious people have been advocating contractionary policy for years seems to have been lost.
Maybe we take the next step and learn that expansionary policy is expansionary.
Maybe we take the next step and learn that expansionary policy is expansionary.
What's He For?
There must be some reason The Hill pays Dick Morris to write columns.
I honestly have no idea what it is.
I honestly have no idea what it is.
They Know Even Less Than What They Say
It's fascinating how it the Villagers can't get rid of the ZOMGTHEDEFICITWILLEATUS frame. It's all they know, even though it's wrong and they're stupid.
Villagers think the deficit will kill us all. Right now, if Congress does absolutely nothing, a deficit reduction plan that is current law will be enacted. This fiscal cliff will also kill us all, because deficit.
Villagers think the deficit will kill us all. Right now, if Congress does absolutely nothing, a deficit reduction plan that is current law will be enacted. This fiscal cliff will also kill us all, because deficit.
The Cuomo Coalition
Heckuva job.
Yet all of its statewide elected officials are white politicians. And in Albany, Republicans and a group of dissident Democrats have taken control of the State Senate by forming a coalition that would consist almost entirely of white lawmakers.
Thursday, December 06, 2012
Wanker of the Day
Antonio Villaraigosa
Joe Lieberman called. He wants his schtick back.
When asked about the opposition to his alignment with the lobbying group, the mayor stressed the need to compromise and reach across party lines, echoing his many previous calls for a "radical middle" philosophy for solving the nation's economic woes.
"I am a Democrat and a progressive, but you know what? The country is evenly divided. They won too," Villaraigosa said. "We've got to work together."
He later added: "The problem is that Democrats just talk to Democrats and Republicans with Republicans.... That's what's broken with politics right now. Too many people polarized and too many people addicted to their ideologies and orthodoxies."
Joe Lieberman called. He wants his schtick back.
The Conversation
Right now most of the public simultaneously believes that the deficit is going to destroy the economy, and that an already passed plan to cut the deficit will destroy the economy.
Heckuva job, media.
Heckuva job, media.
The Best Way To Kill Somebody
I don't know if any of these hit and run deaths were deliberate, but given the lack of resources devoted to such cases it would be a pretty good way to kill somebody and get away with it.
Let Them Rot
I really hope I'm wrong, but I'm not optimistic that Congress will come up with a single cent for Sandy-affected areas.
Bus Blocking
One of the more maddening things about urban life is how drivers think it's always ok to park somewhere "just for a minute," including the middle of the street. They frequently park on corners with clear no parking signs. The signs are there for a reason, often to make it possibile for buses to turn. So your little 5 minute errand blocks the travel for 20 people.
Nobody Could Have Predicted
This never happens!
The Obama administration secretly gave its blessing to arms shipments to Libyan rebels from Qatar last year, but American officials later grew alarmed as evidence grew that Qatar was turning some of the weapons over to Islamic militants, according to United States officials and foreign diplomats.
Also, Too, Jesus, George Washington, Gandhi, and Churchill
Pretty much all the great men of history would do precisely what Joe Klein thinks Obama should do.
We have dumb pundits.
We have dumb pundits.
Wednesday, December 05, 2012
Good For Pelosi
Raising the eligibility age doesn't save much public money, and I'd bet that it actually would increase health care costs overall (public+private). It's a stupid horrible idea.
Which is why Villagers love it.
Which is why Villagers love it.
Maybe The Strategists Can Debate The Experts
Back in the beginning of blog time, 6000 years or so ago, the most pressing danger our nation faced was that some blogger somewhere might have some undisclosed financial conflict of interest and then the world would end. It was hilarious basically because various journalist-types would call for some sort of code of ethics that existed nowhere else in the known universe, least of all in their own world of journalism. Shills and lobbyists are everywhere.
Priorities
I imagine if there was some Red Dawn (original, not remake) style invasion which destroyed a bunch of our cities, after repelling it we'd spend all of our money destroying the other country, and nothing to rebuild our cities.
Because that's how we roll.
Because that's how we roll.
Posh Boys
Osborne enacts austerity policies with 100% predictable effects. The economy goes to shit. The solution, of course, is more austerity, all paid for by the bottom half of the income distribution.
I can respect (not approve of, but respect) the evil side of what he's doing, but he's also stupid. Make the pie higher, and rich people will get even more rich.
I can respect (not approve of, but respect) the evil side of what he's doing, but he's also stupid. Make the pie higher, and rich people will get even more rich.
Delusions (Maybe)
I suppose I have no idea if Cuomo thinks he's going to be president, but he isn't.
It's Not Working, So We'll Do More Of It
The problems we have are not inevitable. We are ruled by the worst fucking people on the planet.
Contractionary policy is contractionary. Shrinking our way to prosperity!
LONDON — Britain is facing an additional year of austerity after the government said Wednesday it missed one of its self-imposed debt reduction targets because the economic recovery was weaker than expected.
George Osborne, the Chancellor of the exchequer, said it would take four years instead of three for Britain to start reducing its debt as a share of national income.
Contractionary policy is contractionary. Shrinking our way to prosperity!
The Worst Idea In The World
Obviously the opinion of this righteous blogger is that we should have Medicare for all, or be incrementally lowering the eligibility age, but now it appears we're getting into the crazy season and the Very Serious People have decided that increasing the age is the appropriate punishment for the olds for being olds.
No one listens to me, but one thing people should consider is significant numbers of married couples have one spouse with decent employer-based insurance which covers them both. Also, significant numbers of married couples are separated by a few years, with the older spouse being the one with the employer-based insurance.
This is an issue already, of course, but if you increase the eligibility age it becomes even more of an issue. How does that 57 year old spouse of a 67 year old retiree get health insurance?
Yes the great and glorious era of Obamacare will (hopefully) improve the individual market for health insurance a bit. But it's still going to cost. A lot.
No one listens to me, but one thing people should consider is significant numbers of married couples have one spouse with decent employer-based insurance which covers them both. Also, significant numbers of married couples are separated by a few years, with the older spouse being the one with the employer-based insurance.
This is an issue already, of course, but if you increase the eligibility age it becomes even more of an issue. How does that 57 year old spouse of a 67 year old retiree get health insurance?
Yes the great and glorious era of Obamacare will (hopefully) improve the individual market for health insurance a bit. But it's still going to cost. A lot.
Tuesday, December 04, 2012
The Internet Is Made Of Answers
The Hobbit 48 fps stuff reminded me of a nagging question I've had for years. Not an important one, of course, just something which bugged me decades ago and back then it would have been very difficult to find an answer.
There was The John Larroquette show on teevee. I could never watch it because it just looked... weird. Like there was a little bit of a ghost trail following all of the actors, or that they didn't move at the right speed. Whatever it was it drove my brain crazy and I literally had to turn it off.
Now we have the internet to answer questions like this. It isn't a full answer, but it gives me a pretty good idea.
There was The John Larroquette show on teevee. I could never watch it because it just looked... weird. Like there was a little bit of a ghost trail following all of the actors, or that they didn't move at the right speed. Whatever it was it drove my brain crazy and I literally had to turn it off.
Now we have the internet to answer questions like this. It isn't a full answer, but it gives me a pretty good idea.
The show was videotaped, but processed by NBC to make it look like it was recorded on film. Network promos even showed "unprocessed" clips. When it was rerun on the USA Network, the processing was gone and the show had the look of a videotaped sitcom.
Grifter Mad At Other Grifter Grifting His Grift
And that's Republican politics.
Armey was concerned that Kibbe structured the deal to personally profit from the book, despite relying on FreedomWorks staff and resources to research, help write and promote it — an arrangement he and others at the group believed could jeopardize its tax exempt status. (In 2010, Kibbe and Armey co-authored a book through HarperCollins, “Give Us Liberty: A Tea Party Manifesto,” that was written with significant help from FreedomWorks staff and all proceeds had gone to the organization.)
What's It All About Then
People think the fiscal cliff means MOOOOOAR DEFICIT. Pundits tell the people that the deficit is the worst thing ever. Same pundits think massive deficit reduction plan, aka fiscal cliff, is also worst thing ever.
Maybe they don't really care about the deficit?
Maybe they don't really care about the deficit?
The Black-Sanders Plan
All the cool kids are joking about the Panetta-Burns plan, but I wish there would be some polling on the actual Black-Sanders* plan to have the Federal Reserve give lots of free money to everybody in the country. I imagine it would be popular. And it would reduce the real value of the debt by nudging up the price value. Also, too, more demand, more jobs, less misery and suffering.
*Sanders did not actually have any role in devising this plan.
*Sanders did not actually have any role in devising this plan.
GOP Daddies
Oh Lord. Apparently they're leaking that Chuck Hagel is on the SecDef shortlist. Why oh why must Democrats appoint GOP Daddies to these positions all of the time.
How About Nothing
I'm betting Cuomo and Christie will get approximately nothing.
Because austerity. It's what's for breakfast, lunch, AND dinner!
Because austerity. It's what's for breakfast, lunch, AND dinner!
New Entry On The Shitlist
Antonio Villaraigosa.
Like his support of trains, but Fix The Debt is the most transparent Steal The Social Security Money crowd we've ever seen.
Like his support of trains, but Fix The Debt is the most transparent Steal The Social Security Money crowd we've ever seen.
Haven't We Been Here Before
David Brooks wants to replay this game in 3 months.
We are facing a crisis, so let's manufacture another one!
As I said before, this involves Congress taking itself hostage and threatening to shoot the country.
But the big demand would be this: That on March 15, 2013, both parties would introduce leader-endorsed tax and entitlement reform bills in Congress that would bring the debt down to 60 percent of G.D.P. by 2024 and 40 percent by 2037, as scored by the Congressional Budget Office. Those bills would work their way through the normal legislative process, as the Constitution intended. If a Grand Bargain is not reached by Dec. 15, 2013, then there would be automatic defense and entitlement cuts and automatic tax increases.
We are facing a crisis, so let's manufacture another one!
As I said before, this involves Congress taking itself hostage and threatening to shoot the country.
Actually Surprising
Warren to Banking.
Sen.-elect Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), one of the banking sector's harshest critics, is being tapped to serve on the Senate Banking Committee.
Retire
One thing I don't get about these rich assholes is why they don't...just retire and start counting their money and spending it on whatever they can. They really can't spend it all. I dunno if Adelson really fears corruption charges of any kind, but even if he does I imagine, given our rich people don't face justice policy, that he could just sail off into the sunset with some hookers and blow and enjoy.
Monday, December 03, 2012
Gun Nuttery
It really is just bizarre. I get that people (mostly wrongly, but it isn't totally insane) think that there's some value in owning a gun for self-defense, but to deny the obvious - that in heated situation, if gun, death more likely - is mind boggling.
It's really easy to kill somebody with a gun. It's pretty hard otherwise, even if you really want to.
It's really easy to kill somebody with a gun. It's pretty hard otherwise, even if you really want to.
No Money There
As Krugman says, many of the preferred by the Villager solutions to nonexistent problems don't actually save the government any money. Raising the Medicare age a bit wouldn't save much public money, and would likely end up costing more in the net. Also, too, suffering, bankruptcy, and misery.
But we know this, as the preferred method for cutting the deficit is... cutting taxes.
But we know this, as the preferred method for cutting the deficit is... cutting taxes.
Blue PA
A Republican can win Pennsylvania, of course, but if a Republican does win Pennsylvania it will be because there's been a national landslide.
The Philly suburbs turned blue, and that was the end of the game.
The Philly suburbs turned blue, and that was the end of the game.
Fracking Our Way To Hell
My first reaction to the Marcellus Shale finds in PA was that we're screwed.
Resource extraction economies are never pretty. Except Norway, but they do things differently there.
Resource extraction economies are never pretty. Except Norway, but they do things differently there.
Mint The Coin
I really don't know why the administration doesn't take the "mint the trillion dollar platinum coin" option seriously. It is, as far as I can tell, perfectly legal.
Sunday, December 02, 2012
Fire Bob Costas
I don't have a transcript and for all I know it could've been dumb or wrong or whatever, but apparently Bob Costas said to the football audience that absent a gun a football player probably would not have murdered his girlfriend and then killed himself.
Fire him!
Anyway, whatever one thinks the laws/constitution should be, or what the constitution/laws are, this isn't really debatable. As human beings we're capable of losing our shit, especially if we throw some drugs and alcohol into the mix. If you're a big football playing dude it's probably pretty easy to seriously hurt your less than big girlfriend in a moment of rage, but it's actually pretty hard to kill her. Unless you have a gun.
Fire him!
Anyway, whatever one thinks the laws/constitution should be, or what the constitution/laws are, this isn't really debatable. As human beings we're capable of losing our shit, especially if we throw some drugs and alcohol into the mix. If you're a big football playing dude it's probably pretty easy to seriously hurt your less than big girlfriend in a moment of rage, but it's actually pretty hard to kill her. Unless you have a gun.
THAT MAN CUT YOUR MEDICARE
I know we mostly can't count on the press to highlight the contradictions, but I wonder if any of the Republican voters who probably were genuinely worried about their Medicare will notice that the Republican demand is that Obama cut Medicare.
Because You're A Stupid Git
The worst man in England.
George Osborne admitted it was taking longer for Britain to recover from the financial crisis than he hoped today amid warnings that the Government would miss its key economic targets..
Regular Reminder
Official DC is obsessed with solving fake future problems that they can't actually solve. This Congress cannot tie the hands of future Congresses. Nothing done today can prevent more tax cuts, more unpaid for wars, and more free money for banksters in the future.
Of course they're not really obsessed with solving fake problems, they're obsessed with using fake problems to steal the Social Security money.
Of course they're not really obsessed with solving fake problems, they're obsessed with using fake problems to steal the Social Security money.
Poor People Must Suffer
For Villagers, tax increases on rich people are worse than Hitler and Very Serious Politicians are the ones who want old people to go bankrupt and die.
Shorter Everybody
We must replace this economy killing deficit reduction plan with an economy killing deficit reduction plan.
Saturday, December 01, 2012
My Turn
I think it's fair (and what am I if not fair) to take this paragraph with several grains of salt, as it's the reporter's wording of things other people said, but if close to being an accurate reflection...
Elsewhere in the article someone discusses the family's commitment to public service. Argh. This isn't about Romney, just this conceit that being a member of Congress, or a governor, or the fucking president, is about "public service." There are public servants, like the teachers everybody dumps on these days, but people with high paying cushy jobs which virtually guarantee them a lifetime of future even cushier even more high paying jobs are hardly making some sort of sacrifice for good.
By all accounts, the past month has been most difficult on Romney’s wife, Ann, who friends said believed up until the end that ascending to the White House was their destiny. They said she has been crying in private and trying to get back to riding her horses.
Elsewhere in the article someone discusses the family's commitment to public service. Argh. This isn't about Romney, just this conceit that being a member of Congress, or a governor, or the fucking president, is about "public service." There are public servants, like the teachers everybody dumps on these days, but people with high paying cushy jobs which virtually guarantee them a lifetime of future even cushier even more high paying jobs are hardly making some sort of sacrifice for good.
"Trade Barbs"
A Washington Post headline tells me "Obama, Boehner trade barbs on 'fiscal cliff'." This raises a very important question. Why were there no barbs during the election? We had our gaffes. We had our zingers. But no barbs!!!
Friday, November 30, 2012
Friday Book Club
Early reviews of the Midnight's Children movie are not very good, but the book is worth reading. I never managed to get through any other book by Rushdie, though I did try a couple, but there's something special about that one.
More Like This Please
Some leftover turkee for Michael Grunwald.
It’s really amazing to see political reporters dutifully passing along Republican complaints that President Obama’s opening offer in the fiscal cliff talks is just a recycled version of his old plan, when those same reporters spent the last year dutifully passing along Republican complaints that Obama had no plan. It’s even more amazing to see them pass along Republican outrage that Obama isn’t cutting Medicare enough, in the same matter-of-fact tone they used during the campaign to pass along Republican outrage that Obama was cutting Medicare.
Conservatives Is Weird
One thing I've learned over the years is that conservatives think we're like bizarro versions of them on some issues. They like low taxes, so they think we like high taxes. They like (or imagine they like) small government, they think we like big government. When, you know, we just think there's some stuff the government needs to do and we need to figure out how to pay for it.
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