Saturday, February 04, 2012
Holy Crap
Apparently I missed that there were some more voting related program activities today. Presumably some horrible person will triumph!
Laws Are For Other People
It's important to remember that so many of the laws that our culture warriors want aren't for them, they're for other people. There is a battle to prevent poor women from having abortion, there is a war on some drugs taken by some people, etc. Elites know (mostly correctly) that these laws will never apply to them, that their daughters will have no trouble taking care of that little problem when the time comes.
They're just awful horrible people.
They're just awful horrible people.
Friday, February 03, 2012
Urban Elites
Obviously some version of "coastal elites" is nothing new, but once upon a time subway riding highrise dwellers were, you know, poor people trapped in the urban hellhole and the real elites lived in places like Greenwich or Bel Air.
Times change.
Times change.
Unclear To Me Too
Like dday, I'm not sure how this MERS lawsuit squares with a possible settlement...
Heckuva Job
Yea, I bet all the wingnuts who (supposedly) gave money to Komen because they punched some girly hippies are going to be thrilled now.
Everybody Drives
While I've probably failed to convince many of you that any of this matters much, we do have a bit of a problem in that the way basically all urban elites are wildly out of step with the way the masses live. Specifically, elites (politicians, journalists) drive and other people don't. I could've told them that a giant parking garage for Yankee stadium was a dumb idea and I don't even live there.
No One Should Ever Trust Them Again
An organization dedicated to a (mostly) women's health issue really shouldn't be run by Ladies Who Hate Ladies, but Planned Parenthood is taking a victory lap.
Liars
Aside from everything else, it's probably a bad idea to give money to a charitable organization run by dishonest people.
Still The Scariest
Ultimately the point is that in February of 2012, this is still the scariest chart ever. Hopefully it will continue to become less scary more fast, but I don't think anybody can declare with any confidence that this is inevitable. People can believe that, of course, but it isn't yet obviously true.
It's All So Complicated
The MF Global coverage is really starting to annoy me. As is always the case they're using complexity to disguise the simple fact that somebody decided to steal a billion bucks. It isn't complicated. It's theft. Some people got the stolen money, and authorities should get it back from them.
Better
One more month of good news and I'll shed a bit of my bearishness, but it's still important to note that while this is good, it isn't recovery good. It's basically the average monthly job growth over the entirety of the Clinton presidency. Job growth in a recovery should be better and faster. This is enough to make a difference, but not a fast difference.
Connected
I am shocked to discover that there is a different system of justice for large well-connected financial firms.
Here is my shocked face:
:|
Here is my shocked face:
:|
Thursday, February 02, 2012
Thursday Night
Blogged out. Monthly jobs number comes out tomorrow. As always I hope for good news, but absent the reality of good news hope for the worst measurement possible. Though admittedly at this point not much can change the political reality, except maybe a TRUMP ENDORSEMENT. I keed. We're screwed.
Lady Parts
Planned Parenthood really is the place where women - especially poor women - can get necessary medical care without worrying some paternalistic freak thinking he speaks for God is going to determine what's best for the little lady without consulting her.
Obviously good doctors and treatment exist elsewhere, but it's the place women can count on.
Obviously good doctors and treatment exist elsewhere, but it's the place women can count on.
It's OK To Say You Suck
Just echoing what tbogg had already said, but what Komen has done is made it ok to point out that they kind of suck. And they kind of sucked before all this, but not many people ever want to rain on the pink paradise parade. They managed to associate their brand with a cause, and to criticize the brand was to criticize the cause.
Now we all get to say: you suck hard.
Now we all get to say: you suck hard.
SUPERTRUCK
I suspect this is not a very good idea.
The legislation also contains a controversial provision allowing heavier tractor-trailer trucks on highways by increasing the federal weight limit from 80,000 pounds to 97,000 pounds. In some cases, it would allow 126,000-pound trucks onto highways.
The legislation also allows the largest rigs, which comprise two and sometimes three trailers, to be as much as 10 feet longer -- a total length of more than 100 feet.
Does The YMCA Have Those?
Sometimes it's important to question the basic premise.
The official says that at the time, a person had to be considered a threat to aviation to be placed on the list. But now a person can be on the list if he or she is also considered a threat to domestic or international security or has attended a terror training camp.
Wednesday, February 01, 2012
When We Were Dumbasses
Can imagine this kind of thing happened in my growing up time. At some point some of us grew up and became real racists, and some of us hopefully mostly didn't, but in our larval years it was mostly just idiocy. Not that the victims of that idiocy saw it, or should have seen it, that charitably.
Wrong Turns
I'm sure in the short term a bit of wingnut love might continue to fill the coffers, but after that... cure cancer for the right sort of women is not going to work.
Modern Macro In The Age Of Suck
Been meaning to write something like this for awhile, but policy relevant macro assumes central bankers have a reasonable idea what they're doing and that they're willing to do those things, perhaps with some slight unemployment or inflation bias depending on who those central bankers are. But what if you're ruled by central bankers only concerned with inflation? That's not supposed to be the case here, though it is to some degree in practice, and it's explicitly the case in the eurozone.
Probably He Can Expect Great Future Earnings
But maybe just a little bit by living from paycheck to paycheck he can have an inkling of what it's like to be squeezed.
Or not.
Or not.
Freight
Obviously can't claim to the know the ins and outs of the financials of the business, but it isn't too hard to imagine that a bet on freight rail is a pretty good bet. It's a big country without convenient port access everywhere, and the relative cost benefits of rail will presumably increase if oil prices increase.
Not a huge fan of the way the industry messes with passenger rail, but that's another issue...
Not a huge fan of the way the industry messes with passenger rail, but that's another issue...
Do You Watch Your Own Network?
It's a complete mystery why liberals weren't always happy with Juan Williams providing cover and validation for Fox over the years.
I Could Have Told You That A Couple Of Years Ago
Suddenly everyone's jumping on the idea that maybe jobs and economic growth are a wee bit important. But, you know, all the Very Serious People were wrong for the right reasons while the hippies were right for the wrong reasons, so the VSPs were really right and the hippies were really wrong.
It's amazing how that always works.
It's amazing how that always works.
Each One Gets A Free Cadillac
I think it's important to understand what Mitt's saying here. He isn't saying fuck the poor. He's saying that the really poor actually have it really really good! The government basically gives them free cars and housing and medical care and food stamps they can use at the liquor store etc. The rest of you struggling to get by, you don't get anything. In fact, the really poor (and we know who they are) are taking your hard earned money.
Now there isn't nothing to this. As our social safety net is incredibly stingy, a lot of poor people don't get anything out of it. And they're pretty pissed off wondering why some other poor people are getting all the good stuff, as Mitt points out. I mean, if there's all this government generosity to the moochers and parasites out there, how come I don't get any of it? Well the truth is the safety net really sucks.
Now there isn't nothing to this. As our social safety net is incredibly stingy, a lot of poor people don't get anything out of it. And they're pretty pissed off wondering why some other poor people are getting all the good stuff, as Mitt points out. I mean, if there's all this government generosity to the moochers and parasites out there, how come I don't get any of it? Well the truth is the safety net really sucks.
Jobs
ADP predicts +170K private sector jobs. Public sector jobs will likely be negative again, so let's say that comes out to net +150K. It's better than bad news, but it isn't good news and it isn't enough to make anything but a minimal impact on unemployment.
BLS number comes out Friday...
BLS number comes out Friday...
Class War
I'll put up the quote when the transcript is out, but judging from comments Mittens made on CNN a bit ago, this election is going to be about Team Not Poor versus Team Poor. Or, you know, the battle between the Galtian Overlords and the Moochers and the Parasites. The question will be which candidate can get more voters to identify with which side.
I guess not so different from every other election.
I guess not so different from every other election.
Receiving Stolen Goods
So, uh, give it back?
(Reuters) - U.S. investigating authorities have traced more than 90 percent of the customer money which disappeared from MF Global around the time of its bankruptcy, the New York Times reported, citing people briefed on the investigation.
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the regulator leading the investigation, traced nearly all the money to banks, MF Global's trading partners and the firm's securities customers. The Commission, however, is unsure whether the money can be retrieved, the paper said.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
The Pride of CNN
CNN's Erick Son of Erick: "Watching A Hippie Protester Get Tased Just Makes My Day"
Afternoon Thread
The twitter tells me Heath Shuler will not be running for governor of North Carolina. Lucky North Carolina.
Easier Visas
Yes we should make it easier for more people to get tourist visas. It's a big pain in the ass - and expensive - for people from non-visa waiver countries to visit.
Fortunately There's A Policy For That
And on and on...
Unemployment in the 17-nation eurozone ended 2011 at 10.4 per cent, a new record high for the single currency since its launch at the start of 1999, official figures showed today.
Washington's Pastor
In the WaPo (find it yourself), Pastor Gerson, most noted for his efforts in service of making sure we killed a lot of people in Iraq, is very upset that the Obama administration thinks women should have proper health care.
Morning Thread
Geeze, I'm tired of having a bunch of old men tell me when and if I should use birth control.
Monday, January 30, 2012
That Inaugural Spot Was A Great Idea
More generally... I get that conservatives are going to obsess about dumb crap that nobody cares about, but there was a time (I think past, not sure) when the Villagers thought these teleprompters cracks were hilarious. As in, the DC press, the group of people who have institutional memory reaching back at least to Reagan, who surely know that everybody uses the fucking teleprompters that St. Reagan invented. But hahahaha! Obama teleprompter!!!!!
There's some real crap Obama does that people can object to. HAHAHAHA FUNNY HE USES TELEPROMPTER LIKE RONNIE really isn't part of that.
There's some real crap Obama does that people can object to. HAHAHAHA FUNNY HE USES TELEPROMPTER LIKE RONNIE really isn't part of that.
Progressive Catholics
Thought about this post all day and haven't come up with a satisfactory (to me) thing to say...so I'll just put out a flawed thing. My impression based on my experience with (some) politically connected progressive Catholics is that... they disagree with the people in charge about birth control, they certainly don't personally disapprove of the use of birth control, yet... think public policy should still cater to the will of those in the hierarchy who they disagree with.
No I have not managed to make sense of this. Perhaps there is sense to be made, or perhaps I am just getting it wrong.
No I have not managed to make sense of this. Perhaps there is sense to be made, or perhaps I am just getting it wrong.
1st
I get why arresting journalists while they're covering news is problematic, but I'm a bit confused why 'ZOMG JOURNALIST ARRESTED AT OCCUPY CAMP' is all that much more problematic than 'ZOMG HUNDREDS ARRESTED FOR PEACEFULLY ASSEMBLING.' Should be a bit more 1st amendment solidarity all around.
Gone
No the money hasn't disappeared, they're just making clear that whoever took it is unlikely to relinquish it. Whoever took it is more important than the people it was taken from.
And a new standard will be established: the right people are free to steal $1.2 billion.
What's been learned so far suggests that a good deal of the money may have “vaporized” because of scrambling in trading in the week before MF Global filed for bankruptcy protection Oct. 31, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing “a person close to the investigation.”
Many now think specific MF Global employees used money from a customer account meant to be walled off and used it to cover collateral requirements or to unfreeze assets of banks and others as they became more worried about how exposed they were to MF Global, the Journal reported.
And a new standard will be established: the right people are free to steal $1.2 billion.
The Stupidest Fucking People On The Face Of The Planet
This is totally random, but I was thinking of the tribe of blithering idiots who helped bring us the Iraq war. Sure there were the people who knew what they were doing, who wanted war for various reasons, but then there were the people who managed to be conned by those people.
Sorry about all the dead people! Oopsie. Now let me get back to writing my column about The Arab Street and all their crazy conspiracy theories...
Sorry about all the dead people! Oopsie. Now let me get back to writing my column about The Arab Street and all their crazy conspiracy theories...
Very Serious People
Think that worry about a potential future small tax increase on some rich people is more damaging to the economy than current mass unemployment.
Book
Shit is fucked up and bullshit.
But public documents show that in 2010 and 2011, Freddie Mac set out to make gains for its own investment portfolio by using complex mortgage securities that brought in more money for Freddie Mac when homeowners in higher interest-rate loans were unable to qualify for a refinancing.
Those trades "put them squarely against the homeowner," PIMCO's Simon says.
Freddie Mac's trades came at a time when mortgage rates were falling to record lows. Millions of homeowners wish they could refinance, but their lenders tell them they can't qualify for today's low rates because of tight rules. Freddie Mac is one of the gatekeepers with the power to set those rules, and lately, it has been saying no more often to homeowners.
That raises concerns among some industry insiders who see a conflict: Freddie Mac's own financial health improves when homeowners can't refinance.
Simply put, "Freddie Mac prevented households from being able to take advantage of today's mortgage rates — and then bet on it," says Alan Boyce, a former bond trader who's been involved in efforts to push for more refinancing of home loans.
Where Have They Been
I admit one thing I've been a bit surprised about is the rather inept fake scandal machine on the Right. They used to be so good at it.
But no one should be surprised when the impeachment machine cranks up.
But no one should be surprised when the impeachment machine cranks up.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
So If He Doesn't Go Galt
Then maybe that wasn't a credible threat? Wow, I'm totally shocked. Here's my shocked faced: :|
RBS boss bows to pressure and gives up £1m bonus
Thanks, Idiots
For all you have done.
How about maybe resigning in shame?
BRUSSELS — Bowing to mounting evidence that austerity alone cannot solve the debt crisis, European leaders are expected to conclude this week that what the debt-laden, sclerotic countries of the Continent need are a dose of economic growth.
How about maybe resigning in shame?
Our media, not theirs
Stuart Zechman and Digby will be tonight's panelists on Virtually Speaking Sundays. Listen live or later at the link.
Signed,
Not Atrios
Signed,
Not Atrios
The 99%
I've said this before (I've said everything before), but one divide (not the only one) is between people who live paycheck to paycheck most of the time and people who don't. Some people who live paycheck might be living pretty well, at least until they lose their job or have a health care event, but the point is that they're always living a bit on the edge, just one bad event away from trouble.
Most highly paid people on the teevee long ago forgot what it was like to count down the days until the next paycheck, and increasingly most of them probably never knew, especially as they now seem to be hereditary titles.
Most highly paid people on the teevee long ago forgot what it was like to count down the days until the next paycheck, and increasingly most of them probably never knew, especially as they now seem to be hereditary titles.
Wanker of the Day
Dancing David Gregory.
MR. GREGORY: Why doesn't that appear to be a more poll-tested position, which is if you really want shared sacrifice, then the middle class should pay taxes, too. I mean, roll back the Bush tax cuts for everybody rather than looking at the, you know, just having the rich pay more, which you look at polling and see that you have some political for. If it's shared sacrifice, why not say to everybody, everybody's going to have to do with less in terms of a social safety net, in terms of taxes and all the rest.
Hurray!
Double down!
While talks with private creditors appear to be on the right track, Papademos concedes in his statement that "deviations" from agreed targets and "delays that are piling up" have led the European Union and the International Monetary Fund to ask for additional, painful austerity measures.
Memories
SOTU 2010.
We had recovery summer and then it was all better.
Starting in 2011, we are prepared to freeze government spending for three years. Spending related to our national security, Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security will not be affected. But all other discretionary government programs will. Like any cash-strapped family, we will work within a budget to invest in what we need and sacrifice what we don’t. And if I have to enforce this discipline by veto, I will.
...
I know that some in my own party will argue that we cannot address the deficit or freeze government spending when so many are still hurting. I agree, which is why this freeze will not take effect until next year, when the economy is stronger. But understand – if we do not take meaningful steps to rein in our debt, it could damage our markets, increase the cost of borrowing, and jeopardize our recovery – all of which could have an even worse effect on our job growth and family incomes.
We had recovery summer and then it was all better.
Sunday Bobbeleheads
Meet the Press has an EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN. Also FRED THOMPSON, RICK SANTORUM, JOE SCARBOROUGH, david axelrod, Doris Kearns Goodwin, and Chuck Toddler.
Face the Nation has REINCE PRIEBUS, MICHELE BACHMANN, DONALD TRUMP, ALLEN WEST, MARIO DIAZ-BALART, debbie wasserman schultz, John Dickerson, Scott Conroy, and Marc Caputo.
This Week has NEW GINGRICH, JOHN BOEHNNER, GEORGE WILL, donna brazille, austan goolsbee, and LAURA INGRAHAM.
document the atrocities
Face the Nation has REINCE PRIEBUS, MICHELE BACHMANN, DONALD TRUMP, ALLEN WEST, MARIO DIAZ-BALART, debbie wasserman schultz, John Dickerson, Scott Conroy, and Marc Caputo.
This Week has NEW GINGRICH, JOHN BOEHNNER, GEORGE WILL, donna brazille, austan goolsbee, and LAURA INGRAHAM.
document the atrocities
They Would Have Gone Galt!!!
Apparently there's no shortage of jobs for the management of failed companies that keep failing even after massive government bailouts.
Funny meritocracy we have.
Funny meritocracy we have.
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