The Politics Thread - please direct all related posts here..

[tuckerfor3]

How terrible is this...

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/10/21/haiti.cholera/index.html

They don't get a break, man....

Not exactly politics, but also not BBall so I put it here....

[HarthorneWingo]

How terrible is this...

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/10/21/haiti.cholera/index.html

They don't get a break, man....

That IS horrible. I saw the report on CNN last night. Apparently it's very contagious.

http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/10/22/1 ... eaths.html

Cholera in Haiti blamed in deaths of more than 100
Haitian officials are blaming an outbreak of cholera for the deaths of more than 100 people in central Haiti, but international health experts say it's too early to pinpoint the cause.
BY JACQUELINE CHARLES
jcharles@MiamiHerald.com

PORT-AU-PRINCE -- Haitian health officials are blaming the deaths of more than 100 people suffering from acute severe diarrhea and dehydration on an outbreak of cholera.

*****

The conclusion of cholera was supported by diplomats at one foreign embassy. A report obtained by The Miami Herald stated that foreign health experts working with the Haitian government to identify the problem were ``99 percent sure it is cholera'' that caused severe diarrhea and vomiting in St. Marc, Mirebalais, Drouin and Marchand Dessalines. On Thursday, Haitian health specialists along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta continued to investigate the source of the outbreak while the government trucked in thousands of gallons of water.

South Florida-based Food for the Poor also announced that it was shipping in antibiotic, oral dehydration salts, water filtration units and other critically needed supplies to several cities and rural villages near the outbreak. So far, it had not reached Gonaives, the largest city in the Artibonite region.
The U.S. Embassy warned U.S. citizens that they should only drink bottled water, avoid undercooked or raw seafood and ``seek medical assistance if you develop acute, water diarrhea,'' it said.

Cholera is a contagious bacterial disease that affects the intestinal system. Symptoms include severe vomiting, diarrhea and dehydration. It can cause death within four to 12 hours after symptoms begin if untreated. Spread through consumption of infected food and water, or feces, the disease is treated with fluids and antibiotics.


Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/10/22/1 ... z13C2OWcnI

[duetta]

But Ms. McEwen said she knew a different Clarence Thomas, one whom she recognized in the 1991 testimony of Ms. Hill, who claimed that he had repeatedly made inappropriate sexual comments to her at work, including descriptions of pornographic films.

Ms. McEwen said that pornography for Justice Thomas was “just a part of his personality structure.” She said he kept a stack of pornographic magazines, “frequented a store on Dupont Circle that catered to his needs,” and allowed his interest in pornography to bleed into his professional relationships.

“It starts inside,” she said, tapping her head during a 30-minute interview inside her three-story condominium in Southwest Washington. “And then your behavior flows from what it is that’s important to you. That’s what happened with him, certainly.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/23/us/po ... homas.html

[HarthorneWingo]

But Ms. McEwen said she knew a different Clarence Thomas, one whom she recognized in the 1991 testimony of Ms. Hill, who claimed that he had repeatedly made inappropriate sexual comments to her at work, including descriptions of pornographic films.

Ms. McEwen said that pornography for Justice Thomas was “just a part of his personality structure.” She said he kept a stack of pornographic magazines, “frequented a store on Dupont Circle that catered to his needs,” and allowed his interest in pornography to bleed into his professional relationships.

“It starts inside,” she said, tapping her head during a 30-minute interview inside her three-story condominium in Southwest Washington. “And then your behavior flows from what it is that’s important to you. That’s what happened with him, certainly.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/23/us/po ... homas.html

"Is that a pubic hair on my Coke can???" .... the musings of a Supreme Court Justice.

[duetta]

"Is that a pubic hair on my Coke can???" .... the musings of a Supreme Court Justice.

Dude lied baldface to Congress - and got away with it. I'm not a laywer, Wingy. Is that perjury?

[HarthorneWingo]

Back the the troops issue for a moment, I agree with Mr. Herbert ... we should bring back the draft. Maybe then, if everyone has to sacrifice, the dimwits in Washington will think twice before getting us into a bunch of dumb wars.

We can also start reducing our military spending while making it more efficient for the types of threats we now face. Our military is still designed based on the old model when we faced alleged potential threats from other nations.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/23/opini ... ef=opinion

Op-Ed Columnist
The Way We Treat Our Troops
By BOB HERBERT
Published: October 22, 2010

You can only hope that the very preliminary peace efforts in Afghanistan bear fruit before long. But for evidence that the United States is letting its claim to greatness, and even common decency, slip through its fingers, all you need to do is look at the way we treat our own troops. The idea that the United States is at war and hardly any of its citizens are paying attention to the terrible burden being shouldered by its men and women in uniform is beyond appalling.

We can get fired up about Lady Gaga and the Tea Party crackpots. We’re into fantasy football, the baseball playoffs and our obsessively narcissistic tweets. But American soldiers fighting and dying in a foreign land? That is such a yawn.

I would bring back the draft in a heartbeat. Then you wouldn’t have these wars that last a lifetime. And you wouldn’t get mind-bending tragedies like the death of Sgt. First Class Lance Vogeler, a 29-year-old who was killed a few weeks ago while serving in the Army in his 12th combat tour. That’s right, his 12th — four in Iraq and eight in Afghanistan.

-more-

[HarthorneWingo]

"Is that a pubic hair on my Coke can???" .... the musings of a Supreme Court Justice.

Dude lied baldface to Congress - and got away with it. I'm not a laywer, Wingy. Is that perjury?

You don't have to be a lawyer to get that one right, as you did. That an affirmative. I keep saying Thomas should be impeached, but as usual the Dems are bunch of pussies.

If the rethuglicans win the house, there's a lot of talk about them using the House's subpoena power to start all these crazy investigations against Obama and others. Remember, when people were clammoring for the dems to use their subpoena power to impeach Bush/Cheney because of the Iraq War and the lack of any WMD and all the other lies perpetrated by them and Obama and Pelosi were saying that "we shouldn't look back," etc. Well, we're about to have that stuck up our butts unless rational thinking people get out and vote this November.

[HarthorneWingo]

I hate this hidden thread. No one come on here anymore.

Maybe I can get things going with all the rethuglican lunatics running for election ... with Election Day being on Tuesday. Don't forget to vote!

But before you do, watch, listen and learn from the prophetic Spencer Tracy in Inherit the Wind.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_DQUAuNUvw[/youtube]

[mugzi]

Its so nice to see you squirming about next Tuesday Wingo.

Its going to be a reckoning, house and maybe the senate, dont worry Ill be around to gloat.

Oh and theres so much to rip the rats about right now, early hints of voter fraud {why do u guys always try this?} with SEIU in charge of calibrating and fixing the voting machines {thats rich}
The economy, unemployment, etc etc

But heres a little something about whose really driven the car into the ditch.


Who drove us into this ditch, again?

*By: Larry Walker, Jr.* [updated]

In the United States, the total debt outstanding as of September 30, 2010, stood at $13,561,623,030,891.70. It’s interesting to note that over the past 40 years, 69.1% of this debt is attributable to Democrat led congresses, and only 28.1% to Republicans. If we agree that the National Debt has reached the crisis level, then the question we must ask ourselves is, “Whom do I trust?” And before I go further, let me point out that I am neither a Republican nor a Democrat. I am a member of the Give Me The Damn Keys Back Party. No, actually I am a member of America’s Independent Party (AIP). Now, let’s check the record.

1971 to 1977 [Democrat Debt $249,514,293,050.07]

Carl Bert Albert represented Oklahoma's 3rd congressional district as a Democrat for 30 years. He served as the 54th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1971 to 1977. During his six-year term as Speaker, Mr. Albert added $249,514,293,050.07 to the national debt, which represented an increase of 67.3%.



1977 to 1987 [Democrat Debt $1,504,869,616,658.42]

Thomas Phillip "Tip" O'Neill, Jr. represented the 8th and 11th congressional districts of Massachusetts as a Democrat for 34 years. He served as the 55th Speaker of the House from 1977 until his retirement in 1987, making him the second longest-serving Speaker in U.S. history. During his ten-year term as Speaker, Mr. O’Neill added $1,504,869,616,658.42 to the national debt, which represented an increase of 242.6%.



1987 to 1989 [Democrat Debt $732,128,343,528.90]

James Claude Wright, Jr., usually known as Jim Wright, represented the 12th congressional district of Texas as a Democrat for 34 years. He served as the 56th Speaker of the House from 1987 to 1989. During his three-year term, he added $732,128,343,528.90 to the national debt, which represented an increase of 34.4%.



1989 to 1995 [Democrat Debt $1,835,318,949,826.00]

Thomas Stephen Foley represented Washington’s 5th congressional district as a Democrat for 30 years. He served as the 57th Speaker of the House from 1989 to 1995. During his five-year term as Speaker, Mr. Foley added $1,835,318,949,826.00 to the national debt, which represented an increase of 64.2%.



1995 to 1999 [Republican Debt $833,443,098,884.30]

Newton Leroy "Newt" Gingrich represented Georgia’s 6th congressional district as a Republican for 20 years. He served as the 58th Speaker of the House from 1995 to 1999, ending 40 years of the Democratic Party being in the majority. During his four-year term as Speaker, Mr. Gingrich added $833,443,098,884.30 to the national debt, which represented an increase of 17.8%.



1999 to 2007 [Republican Debt $2,980,780,890,317.61]

John Dennis "Denny" Hastert represented Illinois’s 14th congressional district as a Republican for 20 years. He served as the 59th Speaker of the House from 1999 to 2007. During his eight-year term as Speaker, Mr. Hastert added $2,980,780,890,317.61 to the national debt, which represented an increase of 53.9%.



2007 to 2010 [Democrat Debt $5,054,649,131,676.47]

Nancy Patricia D'Alesandro Pelosi has represented California’s 8th congressional as a Democrat for 23 and one-half years. She has served as the 60th Speaker of the House since January 4, 2007. During her four-year term as Speaker, Mrs. Pelosi has added $5,054,649,131,676.47 to the national debt, which represents an increase of 59.4%.



Recap

Democrats have controlled the Congress for 28 of the last 40 years. Over this 40 year span, Democrat led congresses have added $9,376,480,334,739.86 to the national debt, which represents 69.1% of the total debt outstanding (as of 09/30/2010). In comparison, Republican led congresses have added $3,814,223,989,201.91 to the debt, which represents 28.1% of the total outstanding. In contrast, Nancy Pelosi is responsible for adding a grand total of $5,054,649,131,676.47, or 53.9% of the Democrats debt, and 37.3% of the total debt outstanding, in just four years.



During their 12 years of majority control, Republicans, Gingrich and Hastert added an annual average of $317,851,999,100.16 to the national debt. In contrast, in her short four-year term, Nancy Pelosi has added an annual average of $1,263,662,282,919.12. What Nancy Pelosi has done to this country in the last four years is nothing short of a national disgrace.

The question is which party do you trust to put a cap on our debt crisis: Democrat, Republican, or Independent?

[duetta]

I wonder, what would the National Debt be if the DOW would were at 2,000-3,000 today. And remember,the classical definition of a bear market is a 80-90% loss in value from the top, so 2,000-3,000 remains a realistic bottom for the DOW unless inflation becomes a significant factor going forward (which is now entirely possible given the devaluation of the dollar).

DOW was at 6,000 in March before the stimulus passed. If the economy had continued its implosion, with the DOW falling in sympathy, 2,000-3,000 was a realistic possibility - with an incalculable loss in the nation's wealth, Americans retirement savings (since, thanks to the FED's insanely low interest rates since 2001, almost all retirement funds are stock-market based), an exponential rise in suffering and civil unrest, and a strong likelihood that the same speculators who originally gamed the economy would now swoop in and be able to buy up half of America for pennies on the dollar.

IMHO, the big difference between liberals and conservatives is that liberals insist that we view all the facts in context - while conservatives prefer to latch on isolated factors, and blow them out of proportion. Unfortunately, reality is complex.

As it is, we're almost assuredly headed to violence of one sort or another over the next decade, likely during the next Presidential term. That much strikes me as unavoidable. I don't think this violence will solve anything - except, maybe, if we're lucky, bring us to our senses.

[HarthorneWingo]

I wonder, what would the National Debt be if the DOW would were at 2,000-3,000 today. And remember,the classical definition of a bear market is a 80-90% loss in value from the top, so 2,000-3,000 remains a realistic bottom for the DOW unless inflation becomes a significant factor going forward (which is now entirely possible given the devaluation of the dollar).

DOW was at 6,000 in March before the stimulus passed. If the economy had continued its implosion, with the DOW falling in sympathy, 2,000-3,000 was a realistic possibility - with an incalculable loss in the nation's wealth, Americans retirement savings (since, thanks to the FED's insanely low interest rates since 2001, almost all retirement funds are stock-market based), an exponential rise in suffering and civil unrest, and a strong likelihood that the same speculators who originally gamed the economy would now swoop in and be able to buy up half of America for pennies on the dollar.

IMHO, the big difference between liberals and conservatives is that liberals insist that we view all the facts in context - while conservatives prefer to latch on isolated factors, and blow them out of proportion. Unfortunately, reality is complex.

As it is, we're almost assuredly headed to violence of one sort or another over the next decade, likely during the next Presidential term. That much strikes me as unavoidable. I don't think this violence will solve anything - except, maybe, if we're lucky, bring us to our senses.

Jon Stewart capped off yesterday's rally with the following and I think he makes some great points (as I watched CNN, MSNBC and Fox News this weekend:

And now I thought we might have a moment, however brief, for some sincerity. If that's okay - I know that there are boundaries for a comedian / pundit / talker guy, and I'm sure that I'll find out tomorrow how I have violated them.

So, uh, what exactly was this? I can't control what people think this was: I can only tell you my intentions.

This was not a rally to ridicule people of faith, or people of activism, or look down our noses at the heartland, or passionate argument, or to suggest that times are not difficult and that we have nothing to fear--they are, and we do.

But we live now in hard times, not end times. And we can have animus, and not be enemies. But unfortunately, one of our main tools in delineating the two broke.

The country's 24-hour, political pundit perpetual panic conflictinator did not cause our problems, but its existence makes solving them that much harder. The press can hold its magnifying glass up to our problems, bringing them into focus, illuminating issues heretofore unseen. Or they can use that magnifying glass to light ants on fire, and then perhaps host a week of shows on the dangerous, unexpected flaming ants epidemic. If we amplify everything, we hear nothing.

There are terrorists, and racists, and Stalinists, and theocrats, but those are titles that must be earned! You must have the resume! Not being able to distinguish between real racists and Tea Party-ers, or real bigots and Juan Williams or Rick Sanchez is an insult--not only to those people, but to the racists themselves, who have put in the exhausting effort it takes to hate. Just as the inability to distinguish terrorists from Muslims makes us less safe, not more.

The press is our immune system. If it overreacts to everything, we actually get sicker--and, perhaps, eczema. And yet... I feel good. Strangely, calmly, good. Because the image of Americans that is reflected back to us by our political and media process is false. It is us, through a funhouse mirror--and not the good kind that makes you look slim in the waist, and maybe taller, but the kind where you have a giant forehead, and an ass shaped like a month-old pumpkin, and one eyeball.

So why would we work together? Why would you reach across the aisle, to a pumpkin-assed forehead eyeball monster? If the picture of us were true, of course our inability to solve problems would actually be quite sane and reasonable--why would you work with Marxists actively subverting our Constitution, and homophobes who see no one's humanity but their own?

We hear every damned day about how fragile our country is, on the brink of catastrophe, torn by polarizing hate, and how it's a shame that we can't work together to get things done. The truth is, we do! We work together to get things done every damned day! The only place we don't is here (in Washington) or on cable TV!

But Americans don't live here, or on cable TV. Where we live, our values and principles form the foundation that sustains us while we get things done--not the barriers that prevent us from getting things done.

Most Americans don't live their lives solely as Democrats, Republicans, liberals or conservatives. Americans live their lives more as people that are just a little bit late for something they have to do. Often something they do not want to do! But they do it. Impossible things, every day, that are only made possible through the little, reasonable compromises we all make.

(Points to video screen, showing video of cars in traffic.) Look on the screen. This is where we are, this is who we are. These cars. That's a schoolteacher who probably think his taxes are too high, he's going to work. There's another car, a woman with two small kids, can't really think about anything else right now... A lady's in the NRA, loves Oprah. There's another car, an investment banker, gay, also likes Oprah. Another car's a Latino carpenter; another car, a fundamentalist vacuum salesman. Atheist obstetrician. Mormon Jay-Z fan.

But this is us. Every one of the cars that you see is filled with individuals of strong belief, and principles they hold dear--often principles and beliefs in direct opposition to their fellow travelers'. And yet, these millions of cars must somehow find a way to squeeze, one by one, into a mile-long, 30-foot-wide tunnel, carved underneath a mighty river.

And they do it, concession by concession: you go, then I'll go. You go, then I'll go. You go, then I'll go. 'Oh my God--is that an NRA sticker on your car?' 'Is that an Obama sticker on your car?' It's okay--you go, then I go.

And sure, at some point, there will be a selfish jerk who zips up the shoulder, and cuts in at the last minute. But that individual is rare, and he is scorned, and he is not hired as an analyst!

Because we know, instinctively, as a people, that if we are to get through the darkness and back into the light, we have to work together. And the truth is there will always be darkness, and sometimes the light at the end of the tunnel isn't the promised land.

Sometimes, it's just New Jersey.

[HarthorneWingo]

Star Ship Log Entry, Day 1, Post Midterm 2010 Election:

So, here we go ....

1. President Obama offers a conciliatory note and extend the olive branch to republicans to make compromises to get stuff done. Great.

2. Mitch McConnell gives speech at Heritage Foundation, telling Obama to stick the olive branch where the sun don't shine; that there will be no compromises; and that his goal is to make Obama a one-term President as opposed to tackling the major catastrophic issues of the day that face Americans.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/0 ... 79070.html

3. Republicans tell Tea Baggers to F-off.

This sounds like it's going to be fun.

[richardhutnik]

Star Ship Log Entry, Day 1, Post Midterm 2010 Election:

So, here we go ....

1. President Obama offers a conciliatory note and extend the olive branch to republicans to make compromises to get stuff done. Great.

2. Mitch McConnell gives speech at Heritage Foundation, telling Obama to stick the olive branch where the sun don't shine; that there will be no compromises; and that his goal is to make Obama a one-term President as opposed to tackling the major catastrophic issues of the day that face Americans.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/0 ... 79070.html

3. Republicans tell Tea Baggers to F-off.

This sounds like it's going to be fun.

Remind me where it is supposedly Obama's "arrogance" that supposedly caused the GOP to act as they did. Even Cenk says, "Enough is enough":
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiJB3c7Fm5Q[/youtube]

Is there ANY indication the GOP plans on doing anything to work with the Democrats? Now the goal is to do everything to defeat Obama? I guess that means they will let the Bush tax cuts lapse, and then blame Obama for the taxes going up on the Middle class.

Ok, I don't want to hear from anyone about Obama's "arrogance" when Obama has tried to reach out but the GOP won't reach out the other way.

- Rich

[richardhutnik]

Ahh, speaking on partisan, the movie "Fair Game" will be coming out real soon, about the Plame leak:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SLn4a5W3lY[/youtube]

Answer me how ANYONE played politics with this. You had the Fox News talking heads all defending individuals in the Bush administration for this going on. Same individuals all over Obama. This is BS.

- Rich

[HarthorneWingo]

Thanks for the Fair Game trailer, Rich. And I feel your anger and frustration. It's time to "man up!" lol. Seriously, we need our elected officials whose agendas we support to step up to the plate. If it's a fight that republicans or conservatives want, the let's give it to them. Can't punk out.

[richardhutnik]

By the way, here is a video that goes into a bit on why not voting can send a message:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZf_fAr2k0I[/youtube]

When a party sees its base stay away, it starts to get scared and listens to them. Democrats will need to start listening to their base this time.

- Rich

[GotItNow]

By the way, here is a video that goes into a bit on why not voting can send a message:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZf_fAr2k0I[/youtube]

When a party sees its base stay away, it starts to get scared and listens to them. Democrats will need to start listening to their base this time.

- Rich

Yeah I've heard people saying that for awhile, the base hasn't been happy they expected things to be further along. The thing you have to remember is they aren't further along because the country started pushing back. This wasn't a pro-Republican election the public is fed up with them too, it was an anti-Democrat election. They took it as far as they could, this is still a center-right nation. If they cater more to the base they'll alienate the rest of the country.

Republicans suck, but the Democrats are terrifying. Personally I have very few I consider worthy of my vote but there are many I'll vote against.

[cmaff051]

A staggering statement about the current state of our economy:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/07/opini ... witterfeed

the United States now arguably has a more unequal distribution of wealth than traditional banana republics like Nicaragua, Venezuela and Guyana

Income inequality is a topic that does not nearly get enough attention in this country. What is the solution to this problem? Or is it even a problem?

[GnarlesOakley]

A staggering statement about the current state of our economy:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/07/opini ... witterfeed

the United States now arguably has a more unequal distribution of wealth than traditional banana republics like Nicaragua, Venezuela and Guyana

Income inequality is a topic that does not nearly get enough attention in this country. What is the solution to this problem? Or is it even a problem?

Unlike the US, Venezuela actually has a government that spends money on helping the poor.

[kane2021]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_upshot/20101109/od_yblog_upshot/no-one-seems-to-know-where-mysterious-missile-launched-near-la-came-from

No one seems to know where mysterious missile launched near L.A. came from

That was the unsettling reflection that many residents in the Los Angeles area were forced to entertain Monday evening as they gazed out over the ocean and into the storied Southern California sky. All at once, the vista was disrupted by a large missile streaming across the horizon. Nor were area residents especially comforted when they consulted local news outlets about the episode, only to learn that no one seemed to know to whom the missile belonged.

How bold are they getting? Do they think Americans post 9/11 are willing to write off even more? C'mon. Its a missile. You got to have a logical response for the people.

Speculation: Obama in Asia, U.S. flexing.

Question. Is it outside the realm of possibility for one to think that this is another country flexing their mussels off of a cargo ship?

Then to turn around and say no one knows where it came from. My first thoughts would be that this is another example of how unprepared our government still is to attack.

If our military didnt really know who shot this off, and it was totally unexpected and without permission, why didnt air raid sirens get tripped? Why was it not shot down? How can you stand up and say "we have no idea where that came from" but dont show any aggression or response to this unknown threat?

If it is ours, why would you deny it and open yourself up for those type of questions? If it is the U.S. flexing, then why? What type of conflict is brewing that would make it necessary to launch a missile in broad day light for people to see but offer no reason for your own people?

What is that flying in the air near it?