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[ToxicAdam]

Dat hair


Anyone else think gastric bypass surgery makes people look odd?

 

[empty vessel]

That's what they're doing, but that isn't the primary responsibility of journalists. They've abdicated their responsibility in favor of ratings.

For-profit corporations can't do journalism (not faithfully, anyway) because they are entities who literally have legal and fiduciary duties to only some people (their investors), and those duties are not to do journalism but to make money. It's an inherent conflict, not one that is especially hard to detect, and I just think it's weird how an entire society pretends it's not there. We are a nation with practically no authentic media. And people wonder how we got here. People would do well to study democratic principles and apply them, instead of just taking for granted the society as it has regrettably evolved and which is not the least bit faithful to democratic principles. One of the most important and basic principles underlying democracy is an informed public.

(This obviously isn't directed at you, besada, just continuing your thought.)

 

[Cyan]

Anyone expecting real journalism out of cable news is barking up the wrong tree. Real journalists aren't owned by corporate media conglomerates.

So basically, there are no real journalists and never will be.

 

[besada]

Anyone expecting real journalism out of cable news is barking up the wrong tree.

We're in agreement, then.

And for Cyan, there are plenty of journalists that don't work for big media conglomerations. ProPublica is an excellent example. Another example is Mother Jones, which is a non-profit magazine. The Texas Tribune is yet another. They're there, but of course they don't generally have large advertising budgets, so many people don't know about them.

 

[A Human Becoming]

So basically, there are no real journalists and never will be.

I don't care what anyone says, Glenn Greenwald is a real journalist!

 

[Clevinger]

So basically, there are no real journalists and never will be.

We'll always have the BBC. Maybe.

 

[besada]

Here's an incomplete list of non-profit news agencies:
http://www.journalism.org/analysis_report/sites_found_study

 

[Dambrosi]

We'll always have the BBC. Maybe.

It was a close thing for a while, but after the News Corp phone-hacking/police corruption/political manipulation scandal, I doubt that the Con-Dems will be able to touch the BBC again, at least not in a punitive capacity.

Also, this is what we Europeans think of your current debt-ceiling nonsense:

Dudes, you're not Greece. You can't allow yourselves to be Greece. More importantly, you can't allow some extremist Republican nutters* to do to the world economy what ABB did to 75 teenagers on Otoeya Island just because they don't like having a black man as President. It's silly. Stop it.

*Not my words, but those of Liberal Democrat MP and former Business Secretary Vince Cable, who's a rather stand-up chap all round!

 

[Jackson50]

For-profit corporations can't do journalism (not faithfully, anyway) because they are entities who literally have legal and fiduciary duties to only some people (their investors), and those duties are not to do journalism but to make money. It's an inherent conflict, not one that is especially hard to detect, and I just think it's weird how an entire society pretends it's not there. We are a nation with practically no authentic media. And people wonder how we got here. People would do well to study democratic principles and apply them, instead of just taking for granted the society as it has regrettably evolved and which is not the least bit faithful to democratic principles. One of the most important and basic principles underlying democracy is an informed public.

(This obviously isn't directed at you, besada, just continuing your thought.)

Precisely. We need a media that is independent of corporate interests and the profit motive. A media that can focus on providing news. That is why a robust public media is essential. Hey, I feel like we have previously discussed this.

Here's an incomplete list of non-profit news agencies:
http://www.journalism.org/analysis_r...es_found_study

The American Independent News Network is superb. And I have been reading ProPublica since you posted the article on David Headley. I found their reporting comprehensive and thorough. I had followed the case closely, yet they had information I was unaware of. Good stuff.

 

[besada]

And I have been reading ProPublica since you posted the article on David Headley. I found their reporting comprehensive and thorough. I had followed the case closely, yet they had information I was unaware of. Good stuff.

I think they're the only non-profit news organization in America to win a Pulitzer, but I may be wrong out that. They're the only one I know of. I love their coverage. Dense as molasses, and they don't stop paying attention once the major media spotlight goes away.

It's amazing what can be done when actual journalists are calling the shots.

 

[speculawyer]

The debt ceiling this has become far too boring.

BTW, how can we be spending so much more money? It is not like any big spending programs have been passed since the stimulus package a couple years back. Is this all from increased medicare/unemployment/foodstamps/etc. since people are retiring early because they can't find jobs, people collecting food stamps because they can't find jobs, etc. ?

 

[PhoenixDark]

As the title States, Sean Hannity takes John McCain to the woodshed over anti-tea party remarks:

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/sean-han...-to-the-woodshed-over-anti-tea-party-remarks/

I can't see the video from work. Someone tell me if it's as brutal as it sounds.

He doesn't really pin McCain on his comments. The fireworks come later when Hannity claims we can simply pay some of our "bills" like SS and the troops. Thankfully McCain stands his ground and says no, we can't prioritize spending - everybody gets fucked. It
s quite clear the right wing talking point in the event of a default is that Obama could send SS checks, pay the troops, etc if he wanted to - but of course since he doesn't care about Americans he won't. It's pathetic, and that argument will not work. I think Obama will be held responsible for the state of the economy though; if things get bad and stay that way through 2012 due to the default, he gets the blame. But I think people will realize he's not the one who fucked over SS, Medicare, troop payment, college grants, etc.

I'm no fan of McCain but he comes off quite logical overall; he feeds some red meat to conservatives in the video but overall fiercely disagrees with Hannity's nonsense.

 

[Hitokage]

The debt ceiling this has become far too boring.

BTW, how can we be spending so much more money? It is not like any big spending programs have been passed since the stimulus package a couple years back. Is this all from increased medicare/unemployment/foodstamps/etc. since people are retiring early because they can't find jobs, people collecting food stamps because they can't find jobs, etc. ?

No, it's because Republicans are crying foul on the mere existence of non-defense spending.

 

[Freshmaker]

The debt ceiling this has become far too boring.

BTW, how can we be spending so much more money? It is not like any big spending programs have been passed since the stimulus package a couple years back. Is this all from increased medicare/unemployment/foodstamps/etc. since people are retiring early because they can't find jobs, people collecting food stamps because they can't find jobs, etc. ?

Bush didn't put the war funding in the budget. Obama did.

 

[empty vessel]

The debt ceiling this has become far too boring.

BTW, how can we be spending so much more money? It is not like any big spending programs have been passed since the stimulus package a couple years back. Is this all from increased medicare/unemployment/foodstamps/etc. since people are retiring early because they can't find jobs, people collecting food stamps because they can't find jobs, etc. ?

We aren't spending so much more money. The stimulus represented a temporary injection of spending due to Wall Street's crashing of the economy, but that's it. That combined with a reduction in revenues due to Wall Street's crashing of the economy led to large deficits in the short term.

Medicare is a long term problem, but it's entirely separate from the current deficit spike.

 

[Bulbo Urethral Baggins]

Today's a big day. Boehner's bill will most likely go to the floor for a vote. Any predictions?
I'm 100% certain it will pass and leave the Dems with no choice but to cave. It's either this, or default.

 

[DasRaven]

Today's a big day. Boehner's bill will most likely go to the floor for a vote. Any predictions?
I'm 100% certain it will pass and leave the Dems with no choice but to cave. It's either this, or default.

I think his plan will squeak through the House and enjoy a rousing bipartisan death in the Senate. Then, that done, we'll start focussing on Reid's plan and the McConnell surrender (again).
If it fails to pass the House, Boehner's speakership is forever tarnished and Cantor's gambit will have worked.

This is where the guaranteed cuts are/were in each plan.
$2T(Biden) -> $3T(Obama) -> $2.2T(Reid) -> $915B(Boehner) -> $0(McConnell)

Isn't this amazing? Then again isn't it obvious, since...

Because I think the closer we get to August the second, frankly, the less leverage we have vis a vis our colleagues in the Senate and the White House.

 

[Clevinger]

Today's a big day. Boehner's bill will most likely go to the floor for a vote. Any predictions?
I'm 100% certain it will pass and leave the Dems with no choice but to cave. It's either this, or default.

It'll pass the House then die in the senate. Reid's plan will die in the House. Everyone will scramble and compromise and if something doesn't happen, Obama will use the 14th amendment as a last resort.

 

[balladofwindfishes]

Today's a big day. Boehner's bill will most likely go to the floor for a vote. Any predictions?
I'm 100% certain it will pass and leave the Dems with no choice but to cave. It's either this, or default.

Boehner doesn't have enough votes relying solely on the GOP. He either needs the Tea Party, or he needs the Democrats. If he sides with the Tea Party, the bill will die in the Senate instantly and his leadership will look ridiculous as he wasted a precious week full knowing such a bill would never work. Plus, the Tea Party has already promised they will not vote for any bill that raises the limit after Cut/Cap/Balance, so Boehner just doesn't have the votes.

The only sane option is for him to work with house Democrats to get a bill they will pass.

 

[gcubed]

Boehner doesn't have enough votes relying solely on the GOP. He either needs the Tea Party, or he needs the Democrats. If he sides with the Tea Party, the bill will die in the Senate instantly and his leadership will look ridiculous as he wasted a precious week full knowing such a bill would never work. Plus, the Tea Party has already promised they will not vote for any bill that raises the limit after Cut/Cap/Balance, so Boehner just doesn't have the votes.

The only sane option is for him to work with house Democrats to get a bill they will pass.

i dont think Boehner would bring up the bill if it didnt have enough GOP votes to pass. It he brings up his bill and it fails to pass the house his career is over.

 

[eznark]

How much is Libya costing us? (Not trolling, actually would like an answer).

 

[balladofwindfishes]

i dont think Boehner would bring up the bill if it didnt have enough GOP votes to pass. It he brings up his bill and it fails to pass the house his career is over.

are we currently in a political climate where such actions are assumed to happen?

I mean, we've already taken a routine procedure and nearly broke the world's economy over it.
I doesn't seem out of the question Boehner would pull something like that at this hour in the game. Political reality just doesn't seem to apply anymore.

 

[empty vessel]

Political reality just doesn't seem to apply anymore.

That much is true. Hell, reality reality doesn't seem to apply anymore.

 

[Bulbo Urethral Baggins]

How much is Libya costing us? (Not trolling, actually would like an answer).

$9,500,000 per day
LATimes

 

[eznark]

are we currently in a political climate where such actions are assumed to happen?

I mean, we've already taken a routine procedure and nearly broke the world's economy over it.
I doesn't seem out of the question Boehner would pull something like that at this hour in the game. Political reality just doesn't seem to apply anymore.

This is disingenuous. The threat of meltdown exists, but it's not as though every day we don't pass something the world slides further. We're in a holding pattern. Hell, housing numbers (tangentially related to bond rating via interest rates) are up!

$9,500,000 per day
LATimes

Good thing that was over in a matter of days. (commence trolling)

 

[gcubed]

How much is Libya costing us? (Not trolling, actually would like an answer).

I can't find anything recent, most likely the same things you found. As of mid April it was like 650m, so in the billions now

Edit, first that blog post made me a little dumber for reading it. Second, itll will have cost 1.1b by end of September? That's... not much. Reading all that article made it sound like it was already in the hundreds of billions

 

[ToxicAdam]

How much is Libya costing us? (Not trolling, actually would like an answer).

Historically speaking, establishing no-fly zones have cost us 1 billion dollars/yr in the past (Kosovo and Iraq).


http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way...dding-up-the-cost-of-military-action-in-libya

 

[worldrunover]

Good thing that was over in a matter of days. (commence trolling)

There's a good corporate jet owner joke in here somewhere.

 

[Clevinger]

Everyone, point and laugh.

Bachmann flubs her line about how she won't be using teleprompters like Obama does.

 

[Measley]

The Dems are going to cave. I can just feel it.

 

[GhaleonEB]

The Dems are going to cave. I can just feel it.

Reid's bill is already a cave. The question is whether they'll cave further. (Yes.)

So, I'm confused. Obama spent most of his press conference calling for a balanced approach, with revenue. Neither bill under consideration includes this. Shouldn't he be pushing for it if that's what he really wanted? His speech and subsequent actions are diametrically opposed.

 

[Clevinger]

Reid's bill is already a cave. The question is whether they'll cave further. (Yes.)

So, I'm confused. Obama spent most of his press conference calling for a balanced approach, with revenue. Neither bill under consideration includes this. Shouldn't he be pushing for it if that's what he really wanted? His speech and subsequent actions are diametrically opposed.

It's too late for that. He probably said it just to keep the "Bipartisan Leader" image going strong with voters.

 

[jmdajr]

"(W)hat none of these critics have is an alternative strategy for achieving anything nearly as fiscally or politically beneficial as Mr. Boehner's plan. The idea seems to be that if the House GOP refuses to raise the debt ceiling, a default crisis or gradual government shutdown will ensue, and the public will turn en masse against . . . Barack Obama," McCain quoted the article as saying in his Senate speech.

"The Republican House that failed to raise the debt ceiling would somehow escape all blame. Then Democrats would have no choice but to pass a balanced-budget amendment and reform entitlements, and the Tea Party hobbits could return to Middle Earth having defeated Mordor," he said the article continued.

lol!

 

[eznark]

Rand Paul just posted this on Facebook...what does it reference?

To those referring to "Tea Party hobbits." I'd rather be a hobbit than a troll. (disclaimer: not meant to reference specific non-fictional characters but please do use your inferential skills)

 

[ToxicAdam]

McCain has always been maddingly inconsistent. He'll give you these little nuggets of truth telling, yet take a position equally as stupid on a different issue.

Like the other day, he had the gall to criticize Angle and O'Donnell as viable candidates but was the one who helped make Sarah Palin a national figure.

 

[balladofwindfishes]

McCain has always been maddenly inconsistent. He'll give you these little nuggets of truth telling, yet take a position equally as stupid on a different issue.

Like the other day, he had the gall to criticize Angle and O'Donnell as viable candidates but was the one who help make Sarah Palin and national figure.

I don't know. I'm not sure the VP choice was entirely his.

I think a bad campaign was run, and the caucus thought a woman who was easy on the eyes was going to be their ticket to winning. I think McCain was just swept into the whole affair.

I always look at McCain as being more moderate, if not slightly liberal, than he leads people into believing.

 

[Byakuya769]

Rand Paul just posted this on Facebook...what does it reference?

Pretty obscure, but I guess he's happy that he's getting called a hobbit instead of the Troll that he is?

 

[Tamanon]

Rand Paul just posted this on Facebook...what does it reference?

I assume McCain's little thingy posted right before you.

 

[balladofwindfishes]

He should have went full on nerd and called McCain a Denethor

 

[GaimeGuy]

I don't know. I'm not sure the VP choice was entirely his.

I think a bad campaign was run, and the caucus thought a woman who was easy on the eyes was going to be their ticket to winning. I think McCain was just swept into the whole affair.

supposedly he wanted liebermann but was told flat out that if he tried nominating liebermann the RNC delegates would shoot it down

 

[ToxicAdam]

I don't know. I'm not sure the VP choice was entirely his.

I think a bad campaign was run, and the caucus thought a woman who was easy on the eyes was going to be their ticket to winning. I think McCain was just swept into the whole affair.

I always look at McCain as being more moderate, if not slightly liberal, than he leads people into believing.

I don't doubt that you are 100% correct in that he was talked into it, but it was still ultimately his decision and shouldn't be let off the hook.

I think the real John McCain hates the evangelicals and psuedo-libertarians in his party but knows he can do nothing about it.

 

[planar1280]

do it Obama!


http://abcnewsradioonline.com/polit...-plan-gains-momentum-as-debt-clock-ticks.html

(WASHINGTON) -- As fears intensify that Congress will not pass a debt limit increase in time to avoid default, some Democrats are pulling out their pocket Constitutions to find a back-up plan.

Assistant Minority Leader Rep. James Clyburn, R-S.C., said on Wednesday that if a long-term deal is not struck by Aug. 2, President Obama should sign an executive order raising the debt ceiling without Congressional approval. He said this action would be justified because of a section in the 14th Amendment that states that “the validity of the public debt...shall not be questioned.”

"I am convinced that whatever discussions about the legality of that can continue," Clyburn said. "But I believe that something like this will bring calm to the American people, and will bring needed stability to our financial markets."

The argument is that a default would put the “validity of the public debt” in jeopardy, thus violating the 14th Amendment. And since the president took a vow to “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution” it would then be his responsibility to ensure that the country does not default.

But constitutional scholars are divided over whether the amendment would, in fact, justify the president to unilaterally take action on the debt ceiling.

Laurence Tribe, a constitutional scholar at Harvard University and one of President Obama’s former professors, told ABC News earlier this month that the 14th Amendment must be upheld by Congress, not by the president.

“It’s a tempting [argument], but I think it’s fundamentally fallacious because it assumes that the executive branch is the branch of government that has the ability to enforce the 14th Amendment. Section 5 makes clear it is Congress that has that power,” Tribe said.

Obama seems to agree. At his University of Maryland town hall on July 22, the president said he does not believe he could use the 14th Amendment to raise the debt ceiling, even if there is no agreement by Aug. 3.

"I have talked to my lawyers," he said. "They are not persuaded that that is a winning argument."

But both the president and the Treasury Department have stopped short of saying Obama will not invoke the 14th Amendment if worse comes to worst. The idea is tempting, at least, to the president.

“Believe me, the idea of doing things on my own is very tempting,” Obama said Monday at the annual meeting of the National Council of La Raza.

If the president does decide to use the amendment, House Democratic Caucus Chairman John Larson said on Wednesday that “his caucus is prepared to stand behind him.”

 

[GaimeGuy]

<Congress> We refuse to do our job

 

[eznark]

I assume McCain's little thingy posted right before you.

Oh, ha. Missed that. What the hell? What world do we live in now?!?

 

[Invisible_Insane]

Oh, ha. Missed that. What the hell? What world do we live in now?!?

The one we deserve, sadly.

 

[Memento Mori]

It was a close thing for a while, but after the News Corp phone-hacking/police corruption/political manipulation scandal, I doubt that the Con-Dems will be able to touch the BBC again, at least not in a punitive capacity.

Also, this is what we Europeans think of your current debt-ceiling nonsense:

Dudes, you're not Greece. You can't allow yourselves to be Greece. More importantly, you can't allow some extremist Republican nutters* to do to the world economy what ABB did to 75 teenagers on Otoeya Island just because they don't like having a black man as President. It's silly. Stop it.

*Not my words, but those of Liberal Democrat MP and former Business Secretary Vince Cable, who's a rather stand-up chap all round!

Vince Cable is actually still the business secretary and I don't recall the Prime Minister publicly dismissing those remarks.

 

[GaimeGuy]

ever since the GOP took over the house in January the economic recovery has slowed more and more. Now I'm not saying it's necessarily the fault of the GOP, I'm just asking questions. Could it be a coincidence, or is there something more? </Beck>

 

[balladofwindfishes]

I'm hearing rumblings around that New York State is considering making a government run health plan for all its residents.

But I haven't really found a source to these claims, anyone got any idea if that's true.

Because if it is, I will be incredibly happy.

 

[Particle Physicist]

As the title States, Sean Hannity takes John McCain to the woodshed over anti-tea party remarks:

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/sean-han...-to-the-woodshed-over-anti-tea-party-remarks/

I can't see the video from work. Someone tell me if it's as brutal as it sounds.

Jesus fuck. Hannity said Obama has not proposed a plan himself. Full out lies in that video.

 

[Flo_Evans]

Jesus fuck. Hannity said Obama has not proposed a plan himself. Full out lies in that video.

What really gets me is that these assholes that seem to worship the constitution as some holy relic can't even be bothered to read and understand it.

While the executive can (and clearly has) proposed legislation and outlined goals for the congress, the responsibility for coming to an agreement and raising the debt ceiling falls squarely on the congress.

It seems as though the new plan is to goad Obama into invoking executive power then running around screaming "SOCIALIST DICTATOR!!!!!" when these stupid fucks cant do the job they have been elected to do.