CSE

Naomi Klein's point of view is interesting in contrast,

http://www.democracynow.org/2008/7/15/with_crises_in_fuel_food_housing

Also, for those who believe the economic policies over the past 8 years have been excessively free market,

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20080630/klein

I suppose there is "hope" he can "change"? posted 07/22/2008 at 07:39:20

I didn't see where anyone said offshore drilling was an ignorant idea?

I fail to see how you arrived at the comment meaning any disagreement with the commenter's views are uneducated. I also didn't read into the prior comment that the commenter inferred any degree requirements.

Better education in America starts at the pre-school level and moves upward - and with this upward movement, increasing numbers of students fall by the wayside. Better education could even be as simple as parents instilling in their kids to be wary of information and the sources used without looking into the matters to the best of one's ability.

Overall, I'd like to take the liberty to suggest that the tone of the comment you have awkwardly interpreted suggests that the average American needs to better educate themselves as to what is happening in their country. This does not mean joining the "we want gas for less crowd", but taking an interest in long term solutions and having the fortitude to keep abreast of developments in more ways that individual self interest.

I spend a good deal of time talking to Americans about current political events. Uncontrollable, emotional uninformed answers come from people across the entire spectrum of formal education - with many eventually trying to cover their inadequacies by pointing to their credentials. Education is a daily personal venture that will yield the greatest potential for your life - and consequently the lives of those who surround you - to prosper. Common sense posted 07/18/2008 at 14:21:58

Naomi Klein is doing an incredible job keeping her book alive and making segue back into the premise of "Shock Doctrine".

The video is follow-up to her article in The Nation from July 1 "Disaster Capitalism: State of Extortion".

Well worth the read ...

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20080721/lookout posted 07/18/2008 at 11:52:05

When you say, "...meanwhile every single one of these business people get a huge piece of the pie as a commission, finder's fee and profit share. It is crime at the heart. True crime." - you are easily describing mortgage brokers, Realtors, builders and everyone else associated with the real estate bubble burst who were of every political persuasion and who clamored for a piece of the action without any thought to how absurd the notion that it would last forever actually was.

It's not like we learned anything from the lessons of the savings and loan bailout mentioned by Ms. Huffington to the tune of hundreds of billions of dollars. So, by example - bailouts don't teach any lessons. Regulation and penalties work. But what works most of all is taking the time to educate oneself before making significant investment and understanding the pitfalls and the subsequent consequences if that investment turns sour. Relying on "professionals" to guide you is a recipe for disaster - as these professionals are up to their necks in debt now as well. Not all - but very many - and they are Democrats as well as Republicans. They were all thinking of themselves - and not about the big picture or the sustenance of our nation.

There's a guy right across the street from me who is college educated who now owes 140% of the current valuation of his home - and he intends to blame everyone but himself. Very sad. posted 07/13/2008 at 16:21:12

It is you who have no idea what I know about the shoddy lending practices waged on ignorant people. I am in real estate and my wife is a Realtor and it was indeed amazing how gullible people were while being ripped off. They weren't being ripped off by the GOP, they were being ripped off by mortgage brokers of all political persuasions trying to earn easy money under lax oversight. You mistakenly attribute victimization to the poor. If you were a Realtor, you'd surely have seen the writing on the wall as the middle class clamored greedily for the bigger homes or borrowed against the paper equity from their temporarily increased valuation? The poor do not have a lock on bad financial moves as the average American was duped just as easily.

And I am not directing this at you personally - but some of the greediest investors who suffered some of the greatest losses were Realtors - they thought it would last forever and just kept flipping until the very end. Realtors also share some of the burden of the current crises and took no small part in scamming buyers and sellers with "deals" arranged with mortgage brokers who were just as unscrupulous!

As regards deregulation - I never said I favored it and fail to understand why you are speaking to me about it in this thread. posted 07/13/2008 at 16:05:08

You read much into my post that was not there. Was it an attempt to partition my views categorically in contrast to your own? You don't have enough information to do so.

I am aware that I cannot allocate my tax dollars and did not even remotely infer that. I said I don't favor paying for bailing out the individuals who made wrong choices.

While you suggest I speak to my representatives as regards defense spending - you are years too late in your suggestion. I as well do not favor my tax dollars funding much of the defense spending.

So while you assume to be an expert on how much interest I show to various segments of governmental spending - you fail miserably at the task. posted 07/13/2008 at 15:50:07

It would have been fair to have Jesse Jackson share the hot seat with Gramm for faux pas of the week.

Obama's reply might also have been questioned. He said, "We need somebody to actually solve the economy. It's not just a figment of your imagination, it's not all in your head." While we might presume that "somebody" is Obama himself he furthers with vague solutions such as he wants "government" to "step in" and provide "relief".

I have to ask, is this relief going to come from my tax contributions? That's why we need deatils as opposed to generalities. Tax dollars to stimulate manufacturing - given the cost of transport - might be a nice tickler if there are some details to go along. But, using my money to bail out people who made very poor choices in personal finances while placing the entire blame on the white shirts who offered up the ludicrous mortgage terms won't fly too far. posted 07/13/2008 at 10:16:09

I dare say that many congressmen would make the same mistake. The underachieving US population seeps gently into the mainstream mediocrity. We are well represented it seems. posted 07/11/2008 at 08:13:31

Clinton inferred Jackson's irrelevance in the run up to the SC primary - and now Jackson unmasks himself so that Obama won't have to suffer that irrelevance if he wins the office. Pretty fortunate for Obama as his largest obstacles may be the old leadership of the African-American community. Hope and change can certainly embrace that stale leadership as well - yet I fear that more media prominence will be given the likes of Jackson and Sharpton if and when Obama deviates from their agendas. posted 07/10/2008 at 08:23:48

The comedy of errors spans many administrations of both parties. The illusion of choice has prevailed for some time. Neither party has been able to stand up to the big money interests. There are no radical solutions that will not bring enough discomfort to sway a majority back down the same path. Our workforce has been stripped of skills and forced to service sector employment which is more subservient as there is less investment and nothing for labor to barter.

While I am no "Neocon", I will not place the blame entirely at their feet. Our choice for president is an example of just how far we have not come. Our representatives in Congress, as woefully inept as they are, are in fact a good representation of the people. Short-sighted, greedy and unwilling to endure hardship to the extent that they will put it off so long no solution is any longer viable - other than using military might after fabricating some "national interest" that is being infringed upon. That "national interest" has been hegemony for decades - and as a lone "super-power" we will last only as long as we can defend ourselves against the remainder of a disenfranchised world.

Sad - but true. posted 07/05/2008 at 15:32:52

I respectfully disagree.

Using the short list of demands in the article will also inspire those adverse to "way left" as you describe. The education need not be an "anti-war", which is stilted and narrow, but an education on opposing viewpoints. What you see as compromise and your reluctance to it is no less dogmatic than the platform of the groups you oppose. No compromise as you infer is a shift to the other polar extreme - such a shift is, as such, radical. Whether Obama intends a radical shift is an unknown - he wouldn't be the first to diverge from his campaign rhetoric once elected.

With your list to inspire voters, include more to reach a broader base.
Overhaul welfare so recipients cannot choose to sit and earn $800/month instead of working to earn $1,000/month. Dovetail this into a serious evaluation on how to recapture a significant amount of manufacturing in the new economic environment and come to terms with the importance of the relative points of the trade-offs between jobs and environmental issues. While you can make some progress with compromise and subsequent jobs - you cannot ultimately make any progress with the opposite. Once unemployment creates enough discomfort amid the middle class - at some point the choice is so acute that any incremental gains made will be dashed in the name of relief.

An engine performs best when well tuned and firing on ALL cylinders. "All or nothing" is the cry of despair! posted 07/05/2008 at 14:49:03

Time has played out the Iraqi scenario. The decade of sanctions that kept the Iraqi masses oppressed in so many ways -

1996

Lesley Stahl on U.S. sanctions against Iraq: We have heard that a half million children have died. I mean, that's more children than died in Hiroshima. And, you know, is the price worth it?

Secretary of State Madeleine Albright: I think this is a very hard choice, but the price--we think the price is worth it.

http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=1084

_______

This was the Democratic plan - to make the masses revolt - but it was absurd to think any internal challenge could stand up to Saddam. It also missed the mark in that if it partially succeeded or failed - the U.S. would be out of any future Iraqi oil deals. As the remainder of the world saw the futility of that strategy - and began to appear destined to reap the oil and moved toward that end - the remaining solution was to do what was hoped the Iraqi masses would do. And now we see who is lined up to extract the Iraqi oil - wanting a percentage instead of contracted services - the companies that would have had hind teat if Saddam had remained.

It's much like a spoiled child that refuses to lose at the game and hurls the board and it's pieces skyward when all appears lost. posted 07/05/2008 at 11:58:04

Sometimes, the best offense is a good defense. It may be that he is shoring up his "soft" defense while banking that the anti-war crowd is smarter than those who are moved by fear. In the polar extremes are the zealots - and you sound as such. The premise of the title is unless Obama pledges to stop the war on his knees in front of your minions - he will lose to McCain who has no intention of de-escalating anything. Is there logic in there somewhere?

Continued... posted 07/05/2008 at 11:34:48

Oh no. Logic here will not suffice. Try using it against the chatterbox...you'll be censored.

As the economic engine of our great republic - and I use that term loosely - depresses, money is flowing into short-term, income producing obligations. Just an hour's review of funds that hold cumulatively in the hundreds of billions in these instruments shows that many see municipal debt as a safe haven for the time being. But, that municipal debt is being funded by taxes and as the tax base contracts and business stales, this debt will require increased tax revenue from somewhere.

You have to hand it to the free market GOP clan, they can milk it to the last drop before handing the bail-out to others while they retire to well funded think tanks to wait until the till begins to fill again. It is indeed cyclic.

It is also instructive to note how eager other nations are to offer economic aid. What goes around - comes around. posted 07/03/2008 at 09:35:50

Hey, I hear there are some hungry Cubans as well. Why not help that country out? They weren't even part of the "Axis of Eeeeeeevil". posted 06/30/2008 at 08:21:55

Please read "Ghost Wars" by Steven Coll. The twelve years of Reagan-Bush I and their illegal clandestine activities created levels of oversight and teams of lawyers in all the governmental departments that reviewed each potential step - a considerable hindrance. Add to that the reluctance of Congress to appropriate any significant funding for the Northern Alliance in Afghanistan and open support for Ahmed Shah Massoud. Tie in the actions of the Pakistanis in all of this and then tell us about 9/11. posted 06/30/2008 at 08:34:40

Why not do the same with Cuba? posted 06/26/2008 at 08:33:47

Are you going to define "decent" for us? Is what Chris Rock says "decent". It sure is funny though - but since you may not think so - well, sorry Chris? Public airwaves or not - if you don't like Imus - don't listen - he'd then be gone in no time - show me da ratings and den da money baby - get it?

When we have kids dying in a far off land with no plan forward and no one seemingly who can come up with one - we have civil liberties being encroached upon and a group of incompetents in congress - what a shock jock says about a football player is really not worth the attention. posted 06/24/2008 at 12:11:34

As the truth became dark - so did George. Some said he became jaded and bitter - yet after keeping track of the absurdities for so long it would seem inevitable.

He once said that what we have in congress is a true representation of ourselves - and that they are indeed representative of who we have become. Nothing more prophetically true was ever uttered. posted 06/23/2008 at 13:46:42

This has been the acceptable norm for the duration of our union. History is much more repulsive than boring - I recommend studying it highly. posted 06/21/2008 at 12:41:22

In your discussion, you failed to note the magnitude of media abuse with pertinent examples of what you refer to as "in the way Hillary Clinton was described". As you say, "Apparently accountability is hard to come by ..."!

Nit-Picking on the perceived sexual bias of coverage for Hillary in media also needs to address the segment of those who might actually have been affected from such nit picking - namely the ignorant. There were millions listening to Hillary - not media punditry - and they turned away from what she said and who they perceived her to be based upon what she said.

The coverage of Hillary showed she was willing to try any tune to score a hit and must surely take the blame for wasting her considerable political capital riding into the final 8-9 months of the campaign. She could never respond to her uninformed war vote - her extensive earmarks or her absurd saber rattling against Iran and support for bases in Iraq. Top that with her inferring that only she and McCain were qualified to meet a foreign threat to national security - ask Gary Hart about the political capital lost with that remark.

Hillary failed - and we have yet another instance where she does not have the fortitude to admit it!

Yes indeed - accountability IS hard to come by. posted 06/16/2008 at 17:45:46

Scalia asserts that torture is not punishment...

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/04/24/60minutes/main4040290.shtml

View how such an accomplished man can become so arrogant... posted 06/12/2008 at 12:32:35

Reminds me of the funny saying, "The more people I meet - the more I love my dog". Thanks for rekindling that. posted 04/03/2008 at 09:24:40

Get two dogs - much less anxiety - they are after all pack animals ane one dog doth a pack not make.

Glad I could help - what do I win? posted 04/01/2008 at 19:33:24

Now back into the truth. At one time, even the Dick Cheney knew that Iraq had to be ruled with an iron fist - and stated as much when asked as Secretary of Defense why we were not going to go into Iraq and take Saddam out after the Gulf War. There were larger fish flopping about in the pan at the time and coalition agreements to honor - but Cheney understood back then - and this was into a third term with a GOP in the White House spending big dinero on defense.

Turns out later Cheney was hoodwinked - and the dominoes then began to fall as Cheney is a bit like the Pope - he is infallible once he has issued his Bull. Without regard to who was in the exiled community and what they said and how much power they could muster - Iraq is what it is - and has been for centuries. Add to that the opportunity handed to the administration after September 11 and we have what we see today.

There were many who saw this - but not enough to stem the tide of fear that prevails to this day. posted 04/01/2008 at 19:26:44

The twist from left-centrist-right to past-future continuum are jumbled words in an attempt to redefine something that needs no definition. Choice IS NOT "this or that".

Both present parties present solutions to maintain our standard of living while saying they are striving to bring rights and comparable standards of living to others.

Leaders of both parties understand that for the rest of the world to better their standard of living we would have to sacrifice some of our own - as is happening now. With all people competing for finite resources - they have always understood that equal access to those resources will not benefit those nations who have lived well on economies of oil and plenty - so the "policy" will always be to get our hands on the resources first and control them - which will not insure equality - no matter the party affiliation. The respective party illusions are surely different courses and are used against one another to great effect - but at the end of the day neither will cede American power over resources - AND investment in resources - without bloodshed.

The doling out portions of spoils of resources to have-nots has reached critical mass - and there is no more separate battlefield. To fight American Armies on a battlefield is folly. They will fight as we once fought against a seemingly insurmountable foe - with idealism and insurrection. And right or wrong - their leaders can always point to what we have as posted 03/25/2008 at 13:45:36

And the millions that voted for him cannot be wrong...? posted 03/25/2008 at 11:16:03

Reality gets confused by ignorance sometimes.

The bible indicates to many that "stars falling from heaven" is a signal that Jesus is coming - so in 1833 - instead of Paul Revere riding around yelling, "the British are coming" (or maybe just breathing really hard?) the folks were screaming "Jesus is coming" (can't touch this).

Turns out it was just a spectacular Leonid meteor shower. A great event for astronomers - a bad day for the Armageddon crowd.
posted 03/21/2008 at 09:30:04

Without regard to party affiliation - anyone who voted "yea" on the "now infamous war resolution" needs to go home. Whether they were lazy, stupid or afraid does not matter once they are gone.

Then, the new Congress can vote to cut all pensions and benefits for anyone who voted for that resolution - holding them somewhat monetarily responsible for our losses during their watch. They could be tarred and feathered as well as far as I am concerned, but that would be cruel and unusual - kind of like asking a US serviceman or servicewoman to patrol in Iraq.

If people who supposedly serve in the public interest see no consequence to their actions - and rely on no having to be accountable - then we will continue to see the sludge that occupies the Capitol with their flag pins and crusty smiles on both sides of the aisle.

When pigs fly... posted 03/21/2008 at 09:40:28

This post shows up on my screen with a check mark followed by "HuffPost's Pick".

Is this a joke? posted 03/22/2008 at 08:46:55